


Flower Fighters

by topumasum



Category: David Bowie (Musician), Senjou no Merry Christmas | Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence | Furyo (1983)
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Brotherhood, Demons, F/M, Fantasy, Friendship, Gen, Intimacy, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Romance, Souls, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-16 06:44:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 21,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5818162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/topumasum/pseuds/topumasum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the afterlife where they expected to meet in heaven after tragic deaths in wars. However they are stuck due to demons lurking and sucking the souls to gain power. Thus the Flower Fighters were formed, to fight these evil beings and help poor souls ascend to heaven. Jack Celliers, Yonoi and Lawrence are the best warriors, soldiers and brothers. How long will they have to fight till they themselves can ascend to paradise?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fresh leaves

**Author's Note:**

> This is entirely based on imagination. This is a Merry christmas Mr Lawrence fanfiction. Do not expect any yaoi or bromance (maybe a little) Some women interests are here and one of them will fall in love with a woman. So dont be disappointed.

He never expected this summer to be so nice. It was light and comfortably warm unlike the previous scorching sun. It was as if the earth had cooled to give a proper day of summer. Under the banyan tree sat two men of different origins.

“Fine day, Sunday. To me, it’s best of the week.”   Said the man, in a British accent, in muddy green as he laid under the shadows of the tree. His eyes of green and blue shut in peace and exhaled the warm breath. The summer was indeed nice. The sunlight pierced through the holes and shapes of the leaves and layered on the tan man’s face. His jaw was sharp and his lips were thin. His dirty blond hair was muddy with his clothes and sweat glistened lightly on his forehead.

“I agree…”   said the man next to him, in a thick accent. He was a Japanese man with an oval baby face. His skin was darker than most Japanese due to his status as a military officer. He wore a cap to cover his face from burning.

“Hey Yonoi.” Came another man in the same outfit. However he was a little chubbier than the two but his face gave the warmest feeling in a person’s heart. He was older than the two. He sat beside Yonoi and looked at the lying man.   “Celliers.”

“Lawrence.”   Celliers responded.

“I thought you hated summers.”   Lawrence said.

“Not this one. This is unusually cool.”

“The earth must be rewarding us for our hard work eh Celliers-san?”   Yonoi said and smiled.   “Should you not be at the induction of the new infantry?”

Lawrence sighed and Celliers ended up sniggering. Yonoi snapped.   “What?!”

“Poor Japanese man forgets where we are and what we are.”   Celliers and Lawrence laughed together like drunkards.   “I’m sure he misses the ladies too.”

Yonoi merely made a poker face and sighed at their stupidity.

“Speaking of ladies, there are few ladies who came in.”   Lawrence said.

“How?” Yonoi asked.

“Is it me, or Yonoi is stupid today?”   Celliers teased and they ended up laughing at the Japanese man again.  

“I meant…how did they…”

“Most shot to death, few in fire and few by suicide.” Lawrence lied beside Celliers.   “I don’t get the suicidal.”

“Those women must have found themselves in terrible situations. They thought death was better than what was about to…”

“Yeah, yeah…whatever.”  Celliers stirred and opened his eyes. He looked deeply at the tree and remained his sight on it. He got lost in his thoughts that no one could guess. He was always the mysterious one. Lawrence never figured him out.

“Well we must welcome them tonight with a warm party.”   Lawrence said.

“And Yonoi here can finally have his chances to woo a lady.”   Celliers said with a smirk.

“I have better things to do.”   Yonoi argued. Few leaves fell over them and most on Celliers’ head. He took one of them and licked it. Lawrence wondered why he did that. He had weird habits of eating flowers and licking leaves and sometimes…doing the most unorthodox things.

“The leaves taste better.”   Celliers said.   “It is fresh.”

“You are awkward, Celliers-san.”   Yonoi wasn’t afraid of sharing his feelings.

“I’m the devil.”   He smirked and looked at him.  

He was the devil in this camp.

They soon heard the trumpet calling for their attendance and Celliers whined and sat up.   “Now we got to babysit the new kids.”

“See it this way, Celliers. You will get to see some pretty women for the first time…after a long time.”

Yonoi was so disappointed in them. He was the first one to leave that glorious tree followed by Lawrence and then Celliers.

They gathered with many in the front, looking at the new recruits. Lawrence was right…there were pretty women this time.

Celliers’ eyes squinted to find a proper looking women to get along with. But he couldn’t choose. There was one lady with brown shoulder length hair. She had a nice body and a pretty face of dark complexion. She noticed his stare and gave him a smile, to which he returned with a wink.

The next lady was a redhead with freckles and a petite body. The distinct feature was her blue eyes as deep as the sea. She noticed his stare too…but she ignored it with disgust. That was intriguing indeed.

The last pretty looking lady didn’t look like a lady at all. Her body was more masculine and her blond hair wasn’t helping at all. It looked like someone pulled it and just sliced it off. She didn’t even notice his stare.

“Alright!”   the commander took their notice and paced in front of the new ones.   “As you know this is the Field and in Field, nothing goes as expected. We fight, we get hurt, we fall and we fight again.”

Celliers was bored out of his brains as the commander went on. Celliers started making faces behind the commander’s back as he continued.

“The enemies we fight are not ordinary. They are evil and cruel and will eat your eyes like jujubes.”

The girls and boy noticed Celliers making ridiculous faces behind the commander and started sniggering in their hands. Few weren’t amused though but those who were, couldn’t help it.

“They’ll smash your brains and…”   the commander stopped, finally seeing the new kids sniggering and he quickly knew. He suddenly turned around, startling Celliers.   “Well, why am I not surprised? Major Celliers of jarhead, the dashing soldier of all time.”   He sneered.   “How could I forget your speech to these newbies?”

“Speech?”   he asked.   “Me?”

“Yes. Don’t you remember? Lawrence, didn’t you tell him?”

“I did.” Lawrence smirked and lied. Yonoi tried his best to hide his smile. Celliers cleared his throat and said.

“No, no. That honour only belongs to you.”

“That honour is nothing without our dear Jack Celliers. Come, lad.”   He pushed Celliers to the front and he nervously smiled seeing the women in front. Some disappointed, some unimpressed, some having fun and some not even showing reactions.

“Good noon, lovely ladies and…gentlemen.”   He started and looked back at Yonoi and Lawrence for help but they abandoned him. The commander was smug. He looked at the dark beauty.   “You, what’s your name?”

“Ruby.” She smiled and Celliers eased up. He grinned and straightened up.

“Ruby. What did you think when you came here?”   he asked.

“I expected to ascend to paradise.”

“And true expectations you had but guess what.”   He looked at the rest.   “You are not because you chose to come here instead, to fight the demons who stands in the way of many to ascend to heaven. You chose this path and I expect you to stay till the end of time.”

And…unexpectedly Lawrence and Yonoi applauded which soon followed by the newbies and the juniors. The commander sighed and clapped too. This was how Celliers did things. Celliers smiled showing his crooked teeth.

He looked at Ruby who smiled warmly at him.


	2. Follow to nothingness

 

The dorm was clean but a mess. Clothes lay here and there and most of the wooden shelves were eaten by moth. Much time had not passed by and the freshmen were divided in groups. In the room were the new recruited team for the three. Celliers was behind Lawrence and Yonoi.

Sadly Celliers, Lawrence and Yonoi were given a group to babysit and to be trained, but the good thing was, the pretty girls were in their team. It was the tradition of Flower Fighters. They were once newbies and had to be trained by their seniors who have long ascended to heaven, leaving them to fight the rest.

As the men were introducing themselves with their previous profession, Celliers was chewing on a grass. Yonoi and Lawrence were writing their names down. Celliers took notice when the pretty ladies introduced themselves.

The redhead didn’t meet eye to anyone. Tragic, her blue eyes did not come to his own, as Celliers thought. She introduced.   “Annabelle, formerly a teacher and a fighter in the war.” She said those words like bullets, making Celliers smile. He had seen many but none like her.

“Where you from?”   Celliers asked, making her twitch. She didn’t want to answer…but as he was her senior, she had to answer.

“Poland.” She avoided looking at him.

Next came the dark beauty whose name Celliers already knew. Ruby was her name and she was tall. Her smile had a motherly charm that eased the blond man and many other.

“Ruby, as I introduced before. I am Sudanese through my mother’s side but English on my father’s. I was a taught gardening and farming by my mother but my father taught me to handle guns.”

How she said those words, sang through Celliers’ ears. She was positive and elegant. The smiles they exchanged said much.

After more introductions came the last lady who did not look like a lady. The men were curious how she would sound.

“Name’s Swinton, from England. Was a surgeon in a private hospital, later trained as a military doctor.” Her voice was deep but skeletal. Her eyes saw many deaths and Celliers knew eyes like those.

“Finally a surgeon. Perfect.”   Lawrence was happy with Swinton’s presence.  

“We still haven’t decided a name for our team.”   Celliers reminded and Lawrence nodded.

“Yes, yes…what should we name us?”

“How about…Kamikaze?”   Yonoi suggested.

“Too mouthful, Yonoi. I suggest Blighters.”   Lawrence said.

“Rooks.”   Celliers said.   “Cause they are rookies.”

It made sense and Lawrence quickly wrote it down. Then he went on.   “So this is the men’s quarters. Female quarters are over there.”   Lawrence showed the ladies to their quarters, leaving Yonoi and Celliers. They looked at each other and Celliers shrugged. He walked out with Yonoi in the light. There were not many women, thus few beds remained empty. Lawrence took his chance and made a conversation with Swinton.

“It’s really a pleasure to have you, Swinton. I have a lot of patients who need us. Till now, we never had a surgeon, we could use you soon.”

“Of course…”   Swinton nodded weakly.

“Then settle down and I’ll soon call you for the work.”   Lawrence smiled and left the quarters for the freshmen to rest. He ran outside and joined the two.

“Anyone you liked?”   Celliers asked to which Yonoi sighed.

“Must you bring it up?”

“Don’t be shy now, Yonoi. I’d day that redhead was quite feisty. An evil spirit as you’d say.”

“She’s no evil spirit. She is an honourable woman. I feel her spirit. She is not lazy.”

“Soon you’ll feel more.”   And received a smack on the head. Lawrence ended up laughing. He liked whenever Yonoi got violent with Celliers.

“What about you, John?” Lawrence’s first name was John.

“Talked to the surgeon. We might soon need her.” he answered.

“Already picking eh?”   Celliers smirked that earned him another hit and this time by John.

“I hope you become her first assignment.”   Lawrence muttered.  “I’ll be off to see him.” He became grim and was about to leave when Yonoi held his arm.

“Lawrence…you must let go.”

“There is nothing to let go. He isn’t gone yet.”   He weakly jerked Yonoi’s grip and walked away. Celliers was about to follow him but Yonoi stopped him, putting his hand on his chest. Yonoi knew Lawrence needed to do this alone.

Lawrence stomped his way to the patient chamber where many injured soldiers lay. Most were doing fine and walking by now, and some are still bedridden. But there was one who wasn’t moving at all. A man without hair and eyes shut, on the bed, straight with a blanket over him. His bed was separate from the rest. Lawrence made sure he wasn’t disturbed.

He walked to him and sat on the stool. The silence remained for few ticks and he slowly stroked the patient’s hand.

“We have some new recruits…some very pretty ladies…you would like them.”   Lawrence smiled at the unresponsive man.

“One of them is a surgeon. She says she can also fight. Hara…she can fix you and can take your place in the fight. You no longer have to worry about going away…not without me.”

As if expecting an answer, he argued.   “You will not leave without me. I cannot let you leave without me.”

His grip on Hara’s hand tightened as he said deeply.

“I will follow you to nothingness if needed.”


	3. Prayers

 

The lunch hall was lively. The yellow bulbs gave darker shade in the hall. Many were still getting plates and taking their seats and chatter filled the large hall. Lawrence was calm now and he was with Yonoi and Celliers. They would always sit together with many other or none. Sometimes the Commander would join them and sometimes he would not. Other than that most would avoid them because of Celliers. He was a boisterous man.

And they liked it that way.

But Celliers’ eyes rolled to the ladies…the two prettier looking ladies-Ruby and Annabelle. Swinton was with them but Celliers did not notice her much. He nudged Yonoi beside him and grinned.

“Why don’t we call them to sit with us?”

“You call them if you want to. I am not doing it.”   Yonoi looked down at his food. Celliers looked at Lawrence with much puppy eyes that made Lawrence sigh.

Lawrence raised his hand and called the ladies by name. He called all three of them and asked them to sit with them, to which they did not refuse. Ruby smiled, Annabelle came against her wishes and Swinton had nothing to do. They sat with the men with their plates of what Celliers described as ‘goo’.

A conversation hit immediately between Ruby and Celliers. Annabelle refused to talk, specially to Celliers. Her determination was strong as Yonoi who didn’t talk as well. Lawrence avoided their topic of conversation which was nothing of use. They talked of philosophy that made no sense to Lawrence or Yonoi. Lawrence looked at Swinton who was quietly eating. He cleared his throat and felt like asking.

“I am thinking to introduce you to my patients, after lunch. It will be good for the men and you.”

She nodded while chewing. The chat between Celliers and Ruby went on till lunch was over. Lawrence took Swinton with him to see the patients while Celliers walked Ruby to her quarters. Annabelle walked behind them in silence and refused to join. Yonoi decided to return to his work, which was to meditate. He always found value meditating after eating.

“So, we will start tomorrow with the training.”   Said Celliers to Ruby and Annabelle but Annabelle nodded curtly and rushed to the quarter, leaving the two. Ruby looked at Celliers with much positivity and smiled.

“Thank you. I had a fine lunch with you.”

Celliers’ smile was wide and yet heroic. It was as if he conquered a kingdom.   “Unlike Miss Annabelle, I hope you did not find me too pesky.” To him it was humorous and he laughed. Ruby warmly smiled and shook her head.

“A little light in the midst of fight is needed. Mr. Celliers, you provide that light to us. I can see that.”

Her words were like message from god. She spoke the right words to him, he took those words to heart and looked down. Never before he felt so sppreciated.

“I will see you tomorrow.”   He turned to leave when Ruby called him.

“Mr. Celliers?”

He turned and saw her smile again and said.   “Thank you.”

Celliers rubbed his hair as he bashfully smiled and rushed off and Ruby went inside.

Lawrence and Swinton were at the patient dorm and the patients greeted Lawrence and Swinton. Most mistook her as a man until Lawrence cleared it.

She talked to most of them and all of them were not critical. They seemed quite fine. Lawrence was a military doctor himself, therefore he had done most of the work.

“I must be honest with you, Swinton, about bringing you here today. I need your surgical skills for someone in this room.”

Swinton could only stare till Lawrence showed her the patient in bed, who was sleeping. Swinton observed him for few seconds till she realised the issue.

“He’s in coma.”   Lawrence said.   “For a while now and I cant make out the problem. His ailment is beyond my skills as a doctor and so I need you.”

Swinton’s reaction was rather unusual. He saw a hint of hesitation in her because she knew what he would ask of her.

“I know what you are thinking. I know you doubt that surgical skills would have any value here or whether it is his time to ascend but I assure you that it’s not. I know he is still here with me and I need you to figure out the problem.”

“You…”   she started. “You want me to operate on him.”

“Yes…”

That was a tough choice he gave her.

Yonoi was in the prayer room, sitting on his knees and his head hung low before the gods. His eyes shut and his lips whispering prayers in Japanese. He still believed in his old gods, not caring whether there was a different god after all.

Yonoi heard footsteps coming behind him and sitting behind him. Yonoi did not respond but the person behind him sighed and sought to disturb him.

“Lawrence is not giving up…”   It was Celliers.   “He is hell bent on curing Hara and he’s bringing that surgeon into it.”

“Cure is only for diseases. What is not diseased, cannot be cured. Lawrence refuses to see it.”

“Send some sense into him, Yonoi. He is obsessed about Hara.”

“Obsession lies with one’s own. Who are we to judge?”

Celliers frowned, not liking Yonoi’s avoidance. Celliers was not the kind to step away and watch. Yonoi’s way of ignoring problems and doing nothing ate Celliers to the core. This was not the man he knew when they were both living. Has death changed him that much?

“Yonoi.” Celliers called.   “Lawrence needs to come out with it. Or he will soon go mad, as you once did.”

Celliers stood up and left the prayer room. Yonoi said nothing but fisted his hands on his knees. The pain in his throat made his hard for him to breathe. The fear of a friend going mad was heavy. The guilt was heavier. Lawrence was not as close to him, as Celliers was, but he still cared. And on the matter of Celliers…he never forgave himself for what he did to him.

Celliers angrily left and rammed his fists onto the walls of the house. He hated the feeling of losing a friend. He wanted the best for Lawrence but he could not do it alone. He wanted Yonoi with him. Yonoi was the next support to him but every time Yonoi refused to interfere, it maddened him. Yonoi’s reasons were useless to him. To Yonoi, intention, consequence and the efficiency meant everything, while to Celliers, only actions mattered. They were opposites and their beliefs were never aligned.

But he never hated Yonoi because of his beliefs. He wholeheartedly loved that man and he would anything for him. Celliers looked up and saw Lawrence and Swinton walking together and talking. Lawrence was doing the talks while Swinton listened. Celliers understood from the expressions that they were not casually talking. They were talking about the patient…they were talking about Hara. Celliers didn’t like it. Lawrence was losing himself in this and Celliers had to get him out before its too late. He heard somewhat of the conversation.

“I’ve done some research on his condition and I’ll give you all the materials to read. Read them and you can make your own judgements on him.”

Swinton nodded and looked to see Celliers approaching them.  “I’ll take my leave then.”   She said but Celliers raised his hand, gesturing her not to leave. He thought it was okay for her to stay.

“Celliers, I was just explaining to her about Hara and we both think he can be operated on.”   Lawrence said. Celliers looked at Swinton who looked at Lawrence in a way as if…he said something contradicting. Lawrence noticed Celliers’ stare and asked.   “What is it?”

“Nothing.”   He said and looked at Swinton who had no reaction. He knew that Lawrence must have been convincing her to do this while she was not willing to. He wouldn’t blame her. She couldn’t play god with Hara’s life and be in trouble for it.

“Then we will meet after training tomorrow. Thank you.” Lawrence told Swinton and she was finally allowed to leave. Celliers’s stare was making Lawrence uncomfortable and he finally snapped.   “Stop thinking about trying to convince me out of it. Swinton is an excellent surgeon and she can definitely help us revive him.”

Celliers exhaled with much vex and said.   “I am a very patient man, Lawrence, but I am soon losing it.”

“It’s really none of your business.”   Lawrence said.   “I’d appreciate if you stayed out of it.”

“How do you expect me to stay out when it’s pushing you to madness?”

“This isn’t madness. I’m trying to bring him back. He cannot be gone yet. I know…I can feel it.”

Celliers sighed and pushed his hair back.   “Lawrence…don’t lose yourself in it. It has been months, his body only stays because of the anomaly of this world.”

“And I’m trying to figure that anomaly. Celliers…we still don’t know much about this place. We can find them and put them for the next ones in our place.”

Celliers didn’t care about finding about this place. He only cared about killing the demons and ascend to heaven. It was the same as fighting in the war during his lifetime. He didn’t miss much of it. He merely wondered.

“Celliers.”   Lawrence called again.   “I am only doing what I used to do. I am trying to connect our lives with this world. I am good at it…so let me do it. Worry about Yonoi and the girl you have taken an interest in. She might be good for you.”

Lawrence patted Celliers’ shoulder and walked by. Celliers remained alone and kicked the pebble.

“Rats…”


	4. The wounds

The morning was beautiful and cool. The leaves seemed greener and flower seemed prettier. But the smell of sweat polluted the air.

“Alright maggots! 10 rounds! You run like my grammy! Hup hup!” the commander shouted at the running newbies’ back. Lawrence was teaching some of the rooks to handle a gun and Yonoi was teaching some to shoot. Celliers was running with the rest of the rooks.

Celliers ran and noticed Yonoi who was showing Swinton to target. He noticed Lawrence who was teaching Ruby while he was stuck with the beautiful Annabelle. He would have liked her company, if she wasn’t so grumpy all the time. Ruby’s eyes fell on him and she spared him a smile. Seeing that smile made him trip and fall on his face and his juniors started laughing.

Things were going well…they were going as planned.

During their breaks, Celliers went to Yonoi who was drinking alone. A pat on his back almost made Yonoi spit his water.

“You devil!”

“One of yours, I am.”   He grinned. “Let’s get Lawrence and get some drinks.”

“Too late.”   Yonoi said.

“What do you mean?”

Yonoi didn’t need to say anything. His eyes pointed to Lawrence who was talking to Swinton. Celliers exhaled. He was getting tired of this. Yonoi showed no reaction, knowing it was of no use.

“Let him be. He will only give up when he sees no result from Swinton’s ability.”   Yonoi said.   “I’ll be at the prayer room.”   He left therefore. Celliers stood there and observed Lawrence and Swinton. Lawrence was telling her something and she was only nodding. His eyes fixated on them till he was startled by a presence beside him.

“Ruby?”

“Mr. Celliers.”   She beamed.   “You look troubled.”

Celliers shook his head.   “And what about you? Where’re your friends? The grumpy girl?”

“Annabelle?”   she giggled.   “She is not a friend. We just met and we don’t get along well.”   She honestly said.   “I get better with Swinton.”

Celliers was impressed but it reminded him.   “Has Swinton been busy with things?”

“You’ve noticed? She’s been reading a lot of papers. Mr. Lawrence has been giving them out. She says it’s for a patient.”   She added.   “Does this bother you?”

Celliers licked his lips and said.   “Let’s just say, that a friend stepping into madness, bothers me.”

“Should I ask Swinton to refuse his requests or…orders?”

“Why get her into trouble?”   Celliers pressed his lips.   “I’m trying with Lawrence.”

Ruby looked around and back at him.   “We have enough time for stories. Only if you don’t mind telling me.”

Celliers was taken back with her forwardness. She already wished to know about him. Now it was his turn to show whether he wanted her to know of him.

And he did.

Lawrence already gave some research he did on Hara’s condition to Swinton. She was reading them carefully with him beside. Lawrence only observed Swinton’s reaction to his research. Her reaction contained awe and mesmerisation.

“Anything you feel you can add in this?”   Lawrence asked Swinton who shook her head.

“We need something to check his nervous system. If I cannot see the physical problem, I can damage his entire self.”

“Don’t worry about that…”   Lawrence’s face was very firm but it had fire.    “Tell me what you need to see his condition clearly.”

He had written every day journal on Hara’s condition, heart beats, pulse, temperature and eye fluttering. Some days were same but some showed discrepancy and few showed anything that was relevant. With this kind of research and notes, she should be able to figure out what was wrong with him.

“I need to see through his brain.”   She said.   “It could be a tumour that is causing this or a hematoma.”

Lawrence didn’t know what to say. He was aware of these possibilities but he wasn’t expecting her to give him a solution this tough.

“I…I can arrange that…”   he painfully said.   “I’ll manage. But if you can see his brain, whatever it turns out to be…can you take it out?”

“Yes.”

Meanwhile Celliers and Ruby sat under a shadow with their cool bottle of waters. Both were nervous but confident with their company at the same time. Ruby saw nothing on Celliers’ part, so she initiated.

“Tell me about you.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked.

“How long you’ve been here? Who you were when you were still alive and…”   she didn’t know whether she should ask.

“How I died?”   Celliers softly finished for her. Ruby nodded.

“I’ll tell you mine, if you tell me yours.”   He chuckled.   “I used to wear grey with hearts on it.”

Ruby laughed and said.   “I used to wear with laces.”   She felt incredibly comfortable with him.   “I still do.”

They laughed for a while and it died down. Then Ruby said.   “I was in the church, praying with my mother when we heard bombings outside. We were about to go to the shelter when my mother remembered that she forgot her…earrings.”

“Earrings?”   Celliers asked.

“Given to my mother by my father before he went to war. My mother was mentally ill and loved my father dearly. She couldn’t bear losing him or his gifts to her…so she ran back and I chased after her into the church…and the whole church crashed on us.”   Her voice became softer.

“And you found yourself here?”   Celliers asked and she nodded.

“I thought I would find my mother here…turns out she already ascended to paradise while I was stuck with others. I guess deep down I wasn’t ready to go yet.”

Celliers smiled and nodded understandingly.   “Nobody here was ready to die.”

“You too?”   she asked.   “Tell me about you.”

“Well…”   before he could even start, the bell rang, indicating the training to start again. He sighed and said.   “Someday else.”

“Okay…”

They got up and went back to their training which went on for a long time with little eating breaks. It continued till nightfall when all of their limbs became sore. All of them were returning to their dorms when Lawrence met with Yonoi and Celliers. Lawrence started first.

“I have decided something about Hara.”

“What?”   Celliers hoped he was ready to give up his madness but Yonoi knew better.

Lawrence looked at them. “I’m going over the Edge.”

“The Edge…”   Celliers frowned and looked at Yonoi who didn’t dare look at Celliers. Yonoi had his own fears.   “You planning to get killed? Again?”

“I need to go out…I need to do it for Hara.”

Celliers was about to hit Lawrence but Yonoi beat him to it. He punched Lawrence which threw him over and it shocked Celliers. Yonoi had never been so angry after his death and it has been a very long time since he acted this way.

Lawrence sat up and rubbed his jaw understanding Yonoi’s action. However he wasn’t expecting Yonoi to act on it.

Yonoi said nothing. He spared a look at Celliers and went back to his dorm. Celliers was stunned for few seconds before he ended up laughing and follow back to the dorm.

Lawrence was grateful that none of the students saw it. His jaw hurt…even when dead, things still hurt. He moaned…

“Oh god…”  


	5. Kiss

 

The next morning was awful. It was raining cats and dogs. The weather was unpredictable here but they did not mind. Everyone worked harder in the blissful rain. Their uniforms stuck to their skin and it felt good. Men could show their fit bodies, some too the advantage to strip. Some women purposely fitted their uniforms to show their figure.

“Disgusting.”   Was Annabelle’s opinion and Yonoi couldn’t disagree. He wore his cap to prevent water sneaking in his eyes and Annabelle tied her hair back. Ruby was running with Swinton and Celliers and many others. Lawrence was doing squats with the rest.

The commander was shouting and drinking tea in peace under the nice warm shade. All was well until the trumpet was blown.

They stopped and the commander rushed out in the rain. The new recruits wondered what it was all about. Among the new recruits, only Annabelle knew what it meant. She rushed beside the commander and saw who came in.

Injured soldiers…

Murmurs, chatters and whispers filled the field. Lawrence, Celliers and Yonoi came forward to receive the injured men and women. Carers, doctors and nurses rushed to their aid. The commander went to one of the least injured ones and asked.

“That bad eh?”

“They are not as once was. Something changed. I’ll tell you later.” He huffed as if he ran a thousand miles.

The commander nodded and let him go. It was Annabelle who rushed to another one and Yonoi tried to stop her.

“Cadet Annabelle!”

But she didn’t listen. She got one of them whom she knew. She was teary eyed but the rain hid it well.

“Joseph…have you seen Joseph?”

The soldier was too tired but he painfully answered her.   “He was the first one to go…sorry, lady.”

The soldier was taken away leaving Annabelle is distress. She fell on her knees in the mud and sobbed on her hands. Celliers almost went to her but Yonoi stopped him and shook his head.

But Ruby didn’t wait and went to her. She helped her up and took her inside and the commander shouted.

“Break! We start in an hour!”

The commander went inside and the three followed him. The new recruits took shelter in their dorms with their hot drinks.

The commander was anxious. His face showed. Celliers exchanged looks with Lawrence and Yonoi who realised how serious the situation had gotten. They reached the main hall with other seniors. They were the under hands of the Counsel.

“This is awful.” One of the seniors said.   “We have lost too many.”

“If things go like this, ascending will be impossible.”

“Too many souls wasted to nothing…poor souls.”

“They have evolved. We must find a way to defeat them.”

Lawrence thought this was the perfect chance to say his worries.   “Might if I say something to this matter?”

Celliers wanted to punch his mouth shut, but Yonoi grabbed his sleeve to shut him. Lawrence continued.

“I believe there should a party assigned to find more on these creatures. A small one…or if possible, only one soul.”

“Are you bonkers, Mr. Lawrence? They are sould killers. Sending even one could be dangerous. The poor soul could vanish into nothing. Hell, we don’t even know what happens to the soul once it vanishes. Does it vanish completely or descends to hell?”

“And who will volunteer to go over the Edge?”

“Let me go.”   Lawrence said loudly that struck everyone in the hall. Celliers covered his face in embarrassment because such bravery was seen as foolish.

“Don’t mind him. He’s an idiot.”   Celliers said, glaring at Lawrence. The senios murmured amongst themselves while the commander waited. Lastly, one of them asked Lawrence.

“How do you propose on doing that? We need to know that we are not investing valuable souls without any outcome.”

“I have watched the demons outside the boundaries.”

“What?”   they were shocked.   “You’ve been out without authority?”

“Just hear me out. I’ve watched them researched on them. They couldn’t track me and…”

“No.” one of them left his seat.   “You are not permitted to go on this assignment. There will be no such assignments. As for your actions, we will put appropriate penalty and you will never speak of this again.”

“This is the perfect opportunity to know our enemies! Why are you even ignoring this?! You should be on your feet, permitting me for this because I can bring results!”

“You will bring nothing but bad news, to this camp!”   the senior shouted and shut him up. He looked at the commander and ordered.   “Take him back.”

Before Lawrence could argue more, Celliers was gestured by Yonoi to hit him. And he did. Lawrence fell over and whimpered.

“What’s fucking wrong with you all and beating me?”   Lawrence was picked by the commander and dragged away. Celliers and Yonoi left a greeting goodbye and left the hall.

Coming out, they saw Ruby standing in the rain, as if waiting for them. She smiled at Celliers and slowly bowed to Yonoi.

“I’ll see you later, Yonoi.”   Celliers left him and took a walk in the rain with Ruby, knowing she wanted to ask.

“How’s Annabelle?” he asked.

“Crying. She may not be able to train for the whole day.”

“Was this Joseph her lover?”

“Brother.”   Ruby answered.   “He died in the war and she hoped to see him after coming here. She heard on our way coming here that her brother was one of the soldiers.”

“That’s unfortunate.”   Celliers opined. Ruby smiled forcefully and stopped. She turned to him and said.

“You said you would tell me about you.”

“You are quite persistent on it.”   Celliers smirked.   “Alright. Come on.”   He led her to the place where they sat before. The rain didn’t stop and they were grateful. Ruby was ready to hear whatever he had.   “So, ask away.”

“Who were you during your lifetime?”

“I was a soldier with the British army. I fought in India along with them and I went to Japan not long after and captured…and soon executed.”

“By the Japanese?” she asked and he nodded.

“You wouldn’t believe who ordered it.”

“Who?”

“Yonoi…”

Ruby was shocked and even more shocked to see Celliers smiling when he said it. He continued.   “I did something that was against his honour code and he condemned me for it. It was funny actually…I was buried under the sand to my neck…”

“But he is your friend.”

“He is now…because we have no differences here. There is no Japanese, German or British here…we are all souls, fighting against common enemy. He followed not soon after and he never forgave himself for it. I know…I can see it on his face every day. He regrets it.”

“And you forgave him?”

Celliers nodded softly.   “I understood his…code of honour and I understood the pain he had to go through.”

He looked at Ruby who was, surprisingly, smiling at him. He was tempted…seeing that smile. He remembered encountering women in his path but…none captivated him as she did.

He didn’t realise when he took her face and pressed his lips on hers. He felt lost in it. It felt like a lifetime…

Surprisingly, she appreciated that kiss. She let him and herself, get lost, in the kiss. But it was short lived. They pulled away and looked to the other ways, watching the rain with smile on their faces. They let each other be oblivious, with teasing smirks.

Lawrence was thrown in his office room by the commander.   “Next time, keep your fucking mouth shut.”   He left and shut the door. Lawrence cursed and slammed his hands on the floor. He didn’t know what he was doing wrong. He had good research on those demons and if he could go out there and find more, it could prove to be valuable to the souls.

He couldn’t guess why they were not willing to let him go. He was just one soul. Even if he vanished, it wont matter to them…or would it?

His thoughts were interrupted when someone opened the door. It was someone he didn’t expect. It was Annabelle. She came to him with a very determined face but distressed.

“Annabelle?” Lawrence asked.

“I heard you saying something about researching into the demons.”

“I did…what are you doing here?”

“I will help you in any way needed. Just tell me what to do.”

“W-what?”   Lawrence couldn’t believe what he just heard.   “Why would you help me?”

“I’m not helping you.”   She answered.   “I need to know what killed Joseph and if you can find their weakness…we can finally defeat them.”

Lawrence understood her view but it could get her into trouble.   “What about you? If they find out…”

“They wouldn’t find me…I’m coming with you.”


	6. Beyond the edge

The training continued without Lawrence for the rest of the day. Neither Celliers nor Yonoi met him in the lockers, knowing what he would say. They weren’t in the mood to hear his research. During the evening, Celliers and Yonoi went to the new recruits’ dorm to get them the schedule next day. While Yonoi was doing all the work, Celliers noticed Swinton reading the heavy amount of materials. He walked to her table and she did not notice him until he cleared his throat.

“Sir?”   She stood up and Celliers looked at the papers. These were what Lawrence had given her.

“Lawrence gave you these crap to read?”   he asked.

“Yes, Mr. Celliers.”   She answered.

“You don’t have to read them anymore. He will not bother with you about these ever again.”

Swinton was astonished but it didn’t come on her face. She said nothing and nodded.

“Throw these away when you can.”

“Can I keep them, with your permission?”

Celliers gave her an odd look. He was surprised that she was interested in his work.   “If you want to keep your nose buried…why not?”

“Thank you.”   She continued reading and he came back beside Yonoi who was done with his announcement. He saw Ruby and gave her a hidden smile and they soon left the dorm. Yonoi finally asked about Lawrence.

“Should we not meet him?”

Celliers thought long and hard. He didn’t want to encourage the man into his mad ideas but he didn’t want to abandon him either.

He sighed. He didn’t know what to tell Yonoi. Yonoi was a man of his own. He would do what his code of honour would tell him to.

“I will meet him.”   Yonoi answered his own question.   “You can come with me if you wish.”

“Alright.”   Jack said.   “I’ll come with you.”

Finishing all their work took about few hours and it was already night time. They were coming to see Lawrence when they saw few guards running, shouting and alarming everyone.

Celliers caught one of the guards.   “What happened?”

“Lawrence! Mr. Lawrence has escaped!”

“What do you mean he has escaped? He must be around here somewhere.”   Celliers thought it was bonkers when they said he escaped. Where would he go?

“No! He’s not in the camp! He has breached the barrier!”    Celliers quickly let him go and he went on running. Celliers and Yonoi exchanged looks before rushing to the main office where they saw commander and the under hands of the Counsel. He truly did it this time.

“I was not careful enough. I didn’t know he would take this measure. The fault is mine.”    The commander accepted.

“It is.”   The under hands were adamant.   “You will take the full punishment for your negligence but, for now, we need to get him back.”

Their presence was soon noticed by the seniors. The commander fiercely whispered.   “Go back to your dorms!”

“Why? We have full right to know about our friend. We know him more than anyone else here.”   Celliers argued which was expected.

“More than anyone?”   One of the under hands asked.   “Could you have possibly known that he was capable of doing this?”

“Yes.”   Celliers wasn’t afraid of sharing it.   “But he was also the kind of man who never broke the rules. He was obsessed with Hara’s condition and wanted to bring him back. That is the only reason what drove him over the fence.”

“Why did you not tell us, then?”   They asked.

“We had no idea of the degree of this matter.”   Yonoi replied.   “Lawrence was…a man of principles. He would not hesitate to help those in need.”

“What is this about?”  Celliers asked.

“Tell me…”   one of the under-hands asked.   “How good friends are you both?”

That was a tough question to answer. Before this life, they were hardly friends. They just went through a lot together. Yonoi answered.

“Enough to beat him down to a pulp.”

The under hands murmured among themselves before turning to the two.   “Then you two will be able.”   Said one of them.

“Able to do what?”   Yonoi asked.

“Is there a special reason for this all?”   Celliers asked.   “I thought it was common that you looked after us. So why are you so insistent on getting him back?”

“While it is true that if it were other, we would not be so persistent.”   They admitted without shame.   “Lawrence is not like you all.”

Before Celliers could emphasize, Yonoi pinched him. He let them continue.

“We died once, came here and we will ascend to heaven. That is the usual flow but…Lawrence…this is his second time here.”

They felt as if everything they knew about things, were all useless. The information was shocking and alien.

“Lawrence died before and came here…but he could not ascend to paradise. He was killed off by a demon and was reborn. Usually, we do not know where souls go when they die by demons. They could vanish or descend to hell. We don’t know. But Lawrence…He died again after his friends died, due to loneliness and agony and came here again. We know because…our head…the Counsel has seen him twice in his chamber and was astonished when they saw Lawrence for the second time.”

Another added.   “We do not know how it happened but Lawrence is the only one. Why? We do not know. But we suspect that if he cannot ascend this time, properly, these demons would get powerful and souls can never ascend.”

“We need to protect Lawrence at all costs but we don’t want him to know. Knowledge can lead to disastrous results. We don’t want him to find out about his previous life…his present would be crushed.”

Celliers and Yonoi exchanged looks again and this time, Yonoi asked.   “Why do you tell us now?”

“Because we need to get him back…but we need someone who can convince him and not cause any emotional wreckage.”

“What do you mean by that?”   Celliers bothered not to ask with respect.

“Lawrence’s emotions…they have caused some ugly phenomena before. When he came here the second time, before meeting you two, he went ballistic and it…”   he could not finish. The memory itself made him shiver.

“So we need someone who can convince him without causing any destruction.”   Another finished.

“You mean us?”   Celliers asked.

They nodded and added.   “Will you volunteer to bring him back?”

“But…they aren’t ready yet.”   The commander argued but Yonoi replied.

“We would.”

Celliers nodded and agreed. It was no question that they would refuse. Lawrence was their friend and in no way would they ever abandon him.

“Return to your quarters.”   The commander ordered and they obeyed. They knew he would volunteer instead but they also knew that the under hands would not agree. They left the office but met an unexpected person.

Ruby stood there with concern spread on her face. It seemed that she had run her way here. Celliers held her and asked.

“What is it? What happened?”

“Annabelle…Its Annabelle.”

“What about Cadet Annabelle?”   Yonoi asked.

“She is gone. She is not with us.”   Ruby panicked.   “She said she needed some air but she never came back. I have looked everywhere, so did Swinton but…”

“I understand.”   Celliers said.   “Go back to your quarters, Ruby. We’ll deal with this.”

“Celliers, I have more to say. I fear that her brother’s death has driven her mad. I fear…that she may be the one behind the whole incident.”

“How do you know about it?”   Yonoi asked.

“Everybody knows by now. It spread fast.”   Ruby answered.

“Alright, just go back. We’ll think of something. And don’t worry about Annabelle.”

Ruby nodded and quickly ran back. He wished that she kissed him before she left but he knew that it would be improper in front of Yonoi. They exchanged their looks and Yonoi asked.

“When do you suppose they will ask us to go?”

“Tomorrow, I hope. This is more serious than I thought. Who knew that Lawrence…I can’t get my head around it.”

 “I somehow felt the uniqueness in him. He was always different from us.”   Yonoi admitted.   “A noble man for a great cause.”

“What if he does manage to find something crucial to our survival and ascension?”

“Do not give me such hope.”   Yonoi walked ahead and Celliers followed him.

The next morning, the boys were about to be out to train the cadets but they received a note calling them in the main office. About arriving, they saw the commander and another person in uniform. They couldn’t see who it was for he had his back turned to them.

“You will be leaving soon.”

They expected that. They saw all the equipment and weapons they would need, on the corner.

“Celliers and Yonoi, I am assigning one more to your team after much thought. Cadet?”

They were surprised to hear cadet and more when the cadet turned out to be Swinton.

“Swinton? Cadet? I do not understand.”   Yonoi shared.

“I have seen her studying much on the research of Lawrence. I believe she will be able to help you. She has shown capabilities of a good fighter and a shooter. She has all the knowledge she needs on medicine. She will not be a burden.”   The commander said. Swinton saluted.

“But a cadet?”   Celliers was unsure.

“I know, Celliers but she will be of good use. Trust me.”

Celliers sighed. As much as he did not mind her being a cadet. If they assigned a cadet, he would have liked Ruby instead. Swinton was not bad…she was just…well he couldn’t put a finger on it.

“If you say she is good then she must be. I do not doubt your judgement.”   Yonoi said.

“Shut up, Yonoi.”   The commander didn’t like the patronising.   “You will depart within minutes so…get going.”

“Yes, commander.”

The fence was small but it was strong. It prevented the phantoms coming in due to a supernatural phenomenon. Jumping over it was easy but they found it hard to leave. They were scared, no doubt. Yonoi tried not to be afraid. He was a samurai! He was braver than anything. And Celliers? He took an execution like a man. Why was he afraid now? He looked at Ruby who was on the verge of tears but she smiled to encourage him. That was his Ruby…

She smiled to encourage both Celliers and Swinton who only smiled at her. It surprised Celliers because this was the first time he saw the woman showing emotion and the person was Ruby. Ruby was a woman who could make anyone like her.

Everyone saluted them for good luck. Some whistled and they all started singing for their safe journey. They looked back one more time to wave goodbye and as soon as they jumped over the fence, the fog took over their figures.


	7. All gone

Lawrence grinded the rocks until it sparked and blazed. He soon put it on the straws and made fire. He breathed on his hands to keep them warm. It was colder than the base and the last time he went out. Annabelle was lost in her thoughts. Lawrence understood that she was having a tough time dealing with all this.

“Annabelle, if you are tired, you can go to sleep. I can keep watch.”   He knew she didn’t sleep well last night. Neither did he, but he was used to it. She wasn’t. She didn’t respond, she didn’t want to talk to him. Lawrence gave up and remained looking at the fire. He wondered whether his friends were angry with him. Celliers was the type of man who wouldn’t understand his motive. Yonoi would, but he would rather avoid it. He knew that those two were on their way to hunt him down. He made sure that they did.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Celliers made fire and Yonoi made the tent. Swinton came back with two dead squirrels for their dinner.

“You hunt too? Who taught you?”   Celliers asked as Swinton started skinning them off. She nodded and added.

“My mother.”

“Usually fathers teach their children to hunt.”   Celliers assumed.

“There are exceptions.”   Yonoi answered to his opinion.

“My father died when I was very little. Mother had no choice but to take his place. She was better than I am.”   She cleaned the meat, put them on the sticks, and hung them over the fire. The meat caramelised and the smell came out. It was delicious.

“She taught you well.”   Yonoi smiled at her.   “You are very dependant. I can see why commander asked you to come with us.”

“But the very reason why Lawrence felt he could go over the fence. You gave him a hope.”   Celliers reminded them and Yonoi pinched him because those were very harsh words. Swinton didn’t show any reaction and it made him curious. So he asked.   “What did he tell you?”

Swinton washed her hands and answered.   “He asked for the materials to make the equipment which would allow me to look into Mr. Hara’s nervous system.”

“And the materials can be found outside the base.”   Celliers shook his head.   “That man is bonkers.”

“Maybe it is a good thing. Lawrence could find out the entire mystery of this world.”   Yonoi shared.   “Just imagine the results.”

“I can imagine.”   Celliers said.   “Him dying and coming here again.”

Swinton did not interfere in their argument. She quietly roasted and they quietly ate afterwards. Yonoi and Celliers already knew where Lawrence headed. He left some traces of his tracks purposely for them to find him.

They soon got into their sleeping bags and put the fire out. They had their guns near them. Phantoms were weary of weapons and preferred not to come near them. Swinton was already asleep. Yonoi and Celliers weren’t. Yonoi got up and lightened him a cigarette. Smelling the burning tobacco, Celliers woke too.

“You can't sleep too…”   Celliers said and Yonoi nodded.

“I have never felt this nervous. I am almost shaking.”   He inhaled the smoke and blew it out.    “Lawrence will get a good beating when we return.”

Celliers chuckled.   “That will be a sight to see.”   He looked at the sky.    “Do you…do you still regret it?”

Yonoi had trouble to answer his question. He didn’t want to show that side of him. He didn’t want to come off soft.

“Yonoi, you can talk to me.”

“I do not want to talk about this.”   He sharply said.    “It’s been too long.”

“Too long you have kept this inside. I’ve seen you. You struggle every day.”

“As you once said, Celliers, my struggle is my business.”   Yonoi turned to him.   “Like your struggle is yours.”

Celliers looked at him. His face showed determination to continue.   “Every one of us here has died. Every one of us experienced the pain in life. We all need to do this together. There is no man alone.”

“We are alone.”   He snapped.   “Every one of us. We are alone in our code, honour and beliefs. This is why you are here.”

“I do not blame you.”   Celliers shrugged.   “I don’t hate you. I have grown to admire you and maybe even love you.”

“Stop it.”   Yonoi almost blushed.   “It is the very reason why I condemned you to death.”

Celliers chuckled again.   “Not all love between men is homosexual. We’re brothers, Yonoi. Nothing hides between us. Not even your death.”

Yonoi was slightly surprised. He never told him how he came here. How did he know? Did Lawrence tell him?

“That bastard.”   Yonoi cursed Lawrence.

“You didn’t have it to easy either.”   Celliers said.    “But I am grateful to know that you payed respects to me at the shrine. I am grateful.”

Yonoi could say no more. He despised himself more now. He was no longer the iron man. Celliers tore off the iron shield. Celliers smiled warmly, took the cigarette from him, and inhaled it.

In the morning they quickly proceeded. They could see the growling phantoms in the bushes. They were the lowly kind who and would be easily killed. The evolved ones will not lurk so openly. Swinton hunted down two rabbits for lunch and collected water. Yonoi noticed the tracks.

“We are getting closer. They have been moving slowly.”

“Must be because of Annabelle. She is still a cadet.”   Celliers said.

“And a slow one.”   Yonoi added. They would find them soon.

Annabelle was indeed slow. She had a hard time walking in the cold weather. It was nothing like the base. The base had normal weather like that on earth, but outside it was very abnormal. Lawrence looked back often to see that she caught up to him. She was slowing him down and was ruining his mood. She would not talk to him or would snap at the smallest thing. They treaded into the darker parts of the forest. Lawrence stopped, as did Annabelle.

He slowly held the gun.   “They are watching us.”   He whispered. Annabelle came closer to him.

Lawrence knew the phantoms were not lowly. These were the powerful ones, the evolved one. The ones, which killed Annabelle’s brother.

“Don’t move.”   He whispered to her.    “These are evolved phantoms. They’ll kill you in seconds.”

Annabelle murmured.   “Are these the ones that killed Joseph?”

Lawrence nodded and a big mistake it was. Annabelle couldn’t control her temper and fired at the hidden phantoms, causing them to come out and attack them.

“SHIT!”   Lawrence cursed and pushed Annabelle away. The phantom tackled down and struggled against his strength. Annabelle took the gun and shot few but it wasn’t enough. They didn’t die. Few of them cornered her to a tree. Lawrence noticed and managed to shoot the phantom off him.

“Annabelle! Shoot!”

She was petrified. She couldn’t move. Her body stopped working. She was very afraid and couldn’t hear Lawrence. Lawrence shot all of their necks and ran to Annabelle. She clutched to his arm like a child as few more cornered them.

They were done for, but not before three shots came killing the phantoms. The rescuers intervened as more phantoms attacked. Yonoi was quick with his gun and Celliers was flexible. Swinton took to the defence and shot from a safe side. Lawrence and Annabelle were stunned. They were struggling with the phantoms. They had to use more bullets than usual. It was tough.

“Shoot their neck! That should be their weakness!”   Lawrence recalled and they quickly complied. His advice was correct. Few shots to their necks did the job but it left them with very few bullets.

They panted. Lawrence and Annabelle rushed to them. He was happy to see them here. He wanted to hug them but Celliers ruined that wish with a punch to his face. He was still happy and smiling. He pulled Celliers to a hug and tried to hug Yonoi only that he backed away.

“I’m so glad to see you three. Even you, Swinton.”   He beamed.    “Now we can do this together.”

“No.”   Yonoi poured a cold bucket of water.   “We are here to take you back.”

“You can't. Didn’t you see how powerful they have become? If we keep waiting at our base, they will grow more powerful and take us all down at the base. To them the base is a buffet now.”

Yonoi and Celliers looked at each other. They had no choice but to drag him back. Yonoi knocked Lawrence out with one blow.

“What are you doing?!”   She tried to help Lawrence but Celliers held her. She screamed and cursed him to free her. Celliers had no choice but to knock her cold too.

“They’ll thank us later.”    Celliers mumbled and picked her on his shoulder while Yonoi dragged Lawrence’s body. Swinton looked at one of the dead phantoms. She had never seen one before, she only heard of them. They looked like giant black wolves. They looked fine for experiments.

“Mind if I pick up a dead one?”   She asked the seniors.

“Suit yourself, if that’s out dinner.”

They never ate phantoms before. Swinton was curious whether they would be edible. If there were, it would be a lot easier. She picked a dead one and followed them.

The phantoms were hiding and keeping their eyes on them. They knew but they didn’t dare bring trouble to themselves. They had few bullets but enough to kill all of them. Swinton scared them more because she was a monster to their eyes.

They walked for too long and when night fell, they made a tent. Celliers tied Lawrence and Annabelle together.

“Now they can be together.”   He smirked at Yonoi and he shook his head. Swinton started cooking the rabbits when Celliers mentioned.

“Didn’t you bring the phantom to cook?”

“I am uncertain if they are edible. We cannot risk it.”

“Then why did you drag it here?”

“To examine it. I believe if we can examine these, we can find something.”

“Are you a doctor or a scientist?”   He asked. She was surprising him with one after another. Lawrence whimpered in his sleep and opened his eyes. He found himself in ropes and cursed out.

“What the fuck, Celliers?”

Celliers took a roasted meat to his mouth.   “Eat.”

“Why did you tie me up?”   He asked, ignoring the delicious meat.

“Because you are bonkers. Now eat.”

Lawrence noticed Annabelle tried to him. She was still unconscious. He sighed and told him.   “Wake Annabelle. She needs the food.”

Celliers complied and tried to wake her gently. She stirred and opened her eyes only to see Celliers too close to her face.

“Get away!”   She exclaimed and startled him. He calmed down and held the food to her face but she snapped at him.   “Untie us!”

“We are under orders.”   Yonoi butted in this time.   “You have serious consequences to face, Cadet Annabelle.”

“I will not sit and wait for them to kill us!”   Annabelle shouted.   “They killed my brother!”

“So you jump to your death?”   Yonoi asked.   “For a Cadet, you lack intelligence.”

Annabelle raged. She was embarrassed in her situation. She looked at Swinton who was away from them and cutting up the phantom. She was disgusted.

Swinton saw usual things in its body. Every parts were normal, except the heart. It was silver and it was shrinking. That was odd. Smoke came out of the shrinking heart and she touched it. It was warm. Celliers noticed and almost puked.

“You are not bothered by these?”

“I am a doctor, I had worse to touch.”   She, for the first time, answered casually. She took the heart out, cutting all the veins and held it to Celliers.   “Look.”

Celliers, tried to look. The heart was blackening and shrinking. She said.   “There must be something in the heart that causes it to shrink. It might be useful to us.”

And she was right. The heart shrank and evaporated until nothing but a seed remained. It was small as a woodnut.

“What is this?”

Swinton didn’t answer. She washed it and took it to tied Lawrence.   “Mr. Lawrence, look.”

Lawrence observed the seed.   “I’ve never seen anything like it. Try breaking it.”

Swinton complied while the rest looked. She hammered it once and so hard that the hammer fell apart. It was stronger than any metal.

“This is amazing. You know what we can do with this.”   Lawrence looked at the men hopefully. His search was not without reason after all. Yonoi said.

“But we must return anyway. Do not try to escape.”

“We won’t. This is enough.”  Lawrence hoped they could use this against them and revive Hara. Annabelle gave up too and they were untied.

The next morning they headed back. But unlike before, they couldn’t see any phantoms. The place was phantom free. While walking, Lawrence stopped. He felt a bit awkward. Celliers and Yonoi noticed and asked.

“You are not planning to run away, are you?”

“Can you feel it?”   He asked them. 

“Feel what?”   Celliers asked.

“The road…it seems empty. Too empty. I feel nothing from here.”

“What are you talking about?”   Celliers looked at Yonoi, thinking Lawrence has officially gone mad.

“I have this…weird feeling.”

“We’ll talk about this weird feeling when we get back to the base.”   Celliers pulled Lawrence and they continued. The fog was clearing and they could see the base fence. However, they couldn’t see anyone inside. They reached the gate and expected to see the men and women training. But the base was empty. No one was at the base.

They were stunned. Celliers nervously chuckled and said.   “Are they trying to surprise us?”

He received no answer. Everything was in place except the people. Lawrence suddenly shouted Hara’s name and dashes off. Yonoi chased him. Celliers finally understood the situation.

“RUBY!!”   He dashed too and Annabelle followed him. Swinton remained alone and looked around. Everyone vanished. None was alive.

Lawrence came to find no one. Hara was not in his bed. He was shocked and fell on his knees, crying Hara’s name. Yonoi too was stunned. He patted the man’s back for comfort.

“They killed everyone.”

“No…”   Lawrence didn’t want to believe it. Not everyone can be gone like that. His friends, the commander, the under hands of the counsel and Hara.   “Why? How?”   He clutched his hair in frustration and screamed out.

Celliers ran in the girls’ dorm and shouted.   “Ruby!”   She was nowhere. She couldn’t be gone like that. He didn’t bother the tears. Annabelle started crying. They were gone.

“J-Jack…”   they heard a faint voice. Celliers knew that voice. He rushed to the deepest corners of the room where no one could go and saw…

“Ruby!”   She was hiding in a box. He pulled her to a kiss and hugged her.   “Oh thank god, you’re alive! What happened?”

Ruby tried not to cry. She was very afraid. Jack didn’t ask further. He took her out of the dorm to the ground where the rest gathered. Lawrence was devastated and he held Ruby for an explanation.

“I don’t know what happened.”   She said.   “The night after you left, everything had become a mess. The under hands and the commander suddenly heard a distress call from the gate. They said the phantoms were gathering and had no intention of backing. We fired and killed many but…they were different. Their dead bodies vanished and reborn and they attacked the base. Many of us fought and…”   She cried again. They vanished fighting them. She calmed herself and continued.   “I had no choice but to hide. They couldn’t find me…I’ve been hiding since then.”

Celliers let her lean on him for she was weak and tired. Hiding in a box for this long without food and sleep ought to tire her.

“Why did they suddenly attack?”   Yonoi asked.   “Why now? They must have been watching us, why didn’t they attack us?”

“This is what I’ve been trying to say!”   Lawrence shouted.   “Hara…Hara…”

“Then…this is it.”   Swinton said.   “We no longer have any purpose here.”

They looked at each other. She spoke the truth. They had no purpose here. They only had a choice and that is going to the counsel. The counsel may have a solution.

“Then we wait here no longer. We take what we have and head out.”   Yonoi said and the rest agreed. Taking all the necessities, they walked out the fence. Lawrence looked back one more time before turning ahead and vanishing into the mist.

* * *

 

Annabelle

Iman as Ruby

Tilda Swinton as Swinton


	8. Burdens

The group stopped for the night. Swinton made tents on the open ground and Yonoi took care of the dinner. Lawrence made fire and the rest three sat comfortably near the warmth. Celliers held Ruby and rubbed her shoulders.

“Don’t sleep yet. Dinner will be ready soon.”   Celliers tried to keep her awake and it annoyed Annabelle. She couldn’t tolerate this kind of weak behaviour. She thought of it as a disgrace. Everything was ready soon and they all sat down to eat. Celliers fed Ruby. They could hear the phantoms nearby but they didn’t dare attack. They were the low level phantoms.

“Has anyone seen the Counsel before?”   Swinton asked and it surprised them all, considering she never initiated a conversation. The men shook their heads.

“I heard rumours that the Counsel saw us all when we were recruited.”   Yonoi said.   “Some even said that he could see everything.”

“If he could, then why didn’t he save the base? Why didn’t he do anything?”   Annabelle muttered angrily.   “Why didn’t he save Joseph?”

Lawrence had the same question, except it was about Hara. Why didn’t he save anyone?

“We do not anything yet.”   Yonoi said.   “Best not to jump to conclusions, Cadet Annabelle.”   This was a warning to her insolence.

“I don’t agree with you, Yonoi.”   Lawrence said.   “Annabelle asked a valid question. Why didn’t he do anything? Isn’t he the Counsel? If he knows all, why didn’t he intervene? I mean, we only heard of him. We never saw him. We only saw his Undermen and even they perished in the base. Something does not seem right.”

“Therefore we do not argue about it.”   Yonoi argued.   “We leave it here.”

“No, Yonoi…we have to talk about this.”   Lawrence went on.   “We are lurking in the dark aimlessly. We need to look into this.”

“No, we do not.”   Yonoi refused.

“Why are you trying to avoid it? The evidence is finally before you. Everyone vanished and the Counsel has done nothing.”   His voice rose.   “Who knows? The Counsel could be the phantom leader.”

“Enough!”   Yonoi burst out. He put his food away and left their side angrily. Celliers sighed and continued feeding Ruby. Dinner was done. Annabelle soon went to sleep in her tent and Celliers put Ruby to sleep. Lawrence went to his tent but couldn’t sleep. He kept tossing in his sleeping bag. Celliers came out of Ruby’s tent and saw Swinton cleaning up. He went to her.

“Yonoi hasn’t returned?”   he asked and Swinton shook her head. Celliers sighed. That man didn’t change. He couldn’t stand questions against the authority and Lawrence always managed to tick him off.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”   he asked again.

“I’m on guard tonight.”

“Thank you.”   He weakly smiled and went to find Yonoi. He quickly found him near the cliff edge, smoking alone.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”   Yonoi felt the presence.   

“Don’t feel like it.”   he shrugged it off.

“How is Cadet Ruby?”

“Tired and weak but she will be fine. She just needs to rest a while.”

And silence fell. Celliers hesitated saying anything because even he was confused. He saw logic in Lawrence’s point. Yonoi realised Celliers’ thoughts.

“If you believe it too then there is nothing I can say.”

“Why not? Why do you try to avoid this?”

“Because some things are better not known.”

“No.”   Celliers refused to believe that.   “I think you have a different reason for trying to avoid this.”

“And what would that be?”

“Adjustment. You have trouble adjusting to new things. You can't handle changes. You can't handle things out of the box. That’s why you couldn’t handle me.”

“Excuse me?”   Yonoi was deeply irritated. Unable to deal with changes is a disease of the weak and children. He was not weak and neither was he a child.

“I know how you feel, Yonoi. I saw you having trouble adjusting to this place too. I don’t blame you but I don’t blame Lawrence either. I know how things might be if what he said turns out to be true. It will have a massive impact on all of us. But remember…Lawrence’s emotions must be in check. We need to know more about this…this phenomenon related to him. He might be our key to paradise.”

Yonoi finally saw a reason. This wasn’t about them anymore. It was about Lawrence now. But he wouldn’t admit it to Celliers.

“Stay beside her. She might call for you.”   Yonoi said.

“She’ll be fine. Don’t stay up too long. Swinton is guarding tonight.”

The men went back to their tents while Swinton remained awake. However, the men, although in bed, couldn’t sleep a wink. The sun came up and everyone came out. Swinton was already making breakfast.

“You can sleep. I’ll takeover.”   Yonoi offered.

“Thank you. I’m almost done.”

Yonoi didn’t push further and they slowly had their breakfast. Afterwards, they moved on with arms ready. They were going into more dangerous area. The Counsel’s office was situated in the most cornered place and they would have to pass the dangerous areas to get there.

“How long will it take?”   Ruby asked weakly.

“At least three nights and four days.”   Yonoi answered.   “A week maximum.”

Morning passed to noon and noon passed to night again. They camped for the night. Celliers was tucking Ruby in when she asked.

“Are you okay?”

He wasn’t. He had to admit, he was tired. Walking all day only to take breaks for food. Although Swinton offered to do most of the work, whatever he ended up with, became tiring to him.

“I’m fine.”

Ruby smiled and said.   “Liar. What’s bothering you?”

“Nothing. I just can't wait for this journey to be over. Its taking too much out of me. Yonoi and Lawrence avoid talking to each other. Annabelle is…well she is distant. You are unwell and Swinton is the only one who hasn’t done anything ordinary. I swear, she has the patience of a monk.”

Ruby giggled and stroked his face.  “I’m sorry. I swear I’ll be better tomorrow and take up the gun again. I don’t want to burden anyone.”

“You are not a burden. I’m just worried about you. You’ve been hiding for a long time. Now.”   He kissed her and smiled.   “Go to sleep.”

Celliers came out of the tent and noticed Yonoi smoking again and Swinton looking at the phantom heart. Celliers sat beside Yonoi and asked.

“Did you figure anything out about that thing?”

Swinton merely shook her head. Yonoi spoke up.

“Best if the Counsel looks at it. He might be able to tell us something.”

“Hmm…”   Celliers was bored. Really bored. He needed to talk. Looking at Swinton, he realised that he never asked about her past. So he asked this time.

“Tell me, Cadet Swinton. How did you end up coming here?”

Swinton looked up, a little surprised. Yonoi was surprised too.

“Bullet to my head.”   A short answer and it sent chills down their spines. It wasn’t because of the way she died, it was because the way she said it-very casually and bluntly.

“No wonder you are so bonkers.”   Celliers was ashamed of teasing her with a smirk.   “Classic brain damage.”

He chuckled, looking at Yonoi who sighed at his stupidity but when he turned to Swinton, he saw a small smile on her face. And it actually shocked him. He never saw her smiling at jokes before. It was odd.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”   Yonoi asked.

“I’ll be on guard tonight.”

“Again? If you keep going, you’ll end up sleeping on the road.”   Celliers stood up and stretched he shamelessly added.   “Goodnight.”   And he went to his tent. Swinton kept looking at the heart while Yonoi smoked. He spoke up.

“Are you sure?”

“Hmm?”   she looked at him and realised what he was talking about. She answered.   “Yes.”

“Then don’t mind me asking…how…I mean…who killed you?”

Before she could answer, they were startled by Celliers again. And this time, he looked serious.

“I have to know something. We came here after we died during the war. I mean all of us…except…Lawrence.”

Yonoi and Swinton looked at each other. Of course Swinton didn’t know when Lawrence died but Yonoi did.

“He said he died after the war…and all three of you…”   he referred to Swinton and the other two girls.   “Are new recruits but you died during the war. So…you three died early but came in late. What does this mean?”

“A strange phenomenon of this world.”   Celliers answered.   “Why would the war victims come in late and the one who died after the war came in first?”

“Were you frozen?”   Yonoi asked Swinton, hoping she would remember something. But she shook her head.

“When we came here, we only found ourselves and someone waiting for us to take us to the base.”

“The usual recruitment system.”   Celliers recalled his day of recruitment.   “Why didn’t we ask our commander?”

“We were too busy fighting the phantoms.”   Yonoi answered.   “This will be another question to find an answer for. Now, we leave this matter.”

Celliers sighed and understood. There was no point worrying about this at night. The men went to sleep soon and Swinton kept guard. When morning came, they headed off. Ruby was feeling better and she was walking on her own.

They treaded into the dangerous area. They could feel the phantoms watching them. These were a little different from the rest. They do not harm those who don’t bother them. All they needed to do was leave them alone. Annabelle couldn’t shake off the feeling. The hatred she bore for them. She wanted badly to kill them but she didn’t dare. She just wanted to see the Counsel and confront him. The phantoms could smell her hatred. They growled louder. These phantoms had the ability to smell emotions. They kept their fear and hatred level to a minimum but Annabelle couldn’t control her hatred. They killed her brother.

And suddenly she saw something in one of the phantom’s mouth. He was looking at her, looking through her soul. It was a pendant…it belonged to Joseph. She stopped and the rest noticed.

“Cadet Annabelle?”   Yonoi called, fearing the consequences.

“They…they killed him…they took his pendant. How dare they?”

“Cadet Annabelle?”   Celliers grabbed her arm and tried pulling her but her emotions took over her and she elbowed Celliers and shot at the phantoms. Within seconds a fight broke out. Swinton took the role to protect Ruby and shot with perfect aim. Lawrence and Yonoi were tackled down physically and they did their best to kill them. Celliers looked after Annabelle who had gone crazy. He had to make sure she didn’t stupidly get herself killed. However, there were just too many. They had to escape.

“Follow me!”   Swinton led the way and they followed her away from the ferocious phantoms. They were fortunate to find a hiding place. The phantoms passed them without noticing. Usually they would have smelt them out but they couldn’t. They didn’t know the reason but it was an advantage and they didn’t bother poking this matter. When the coast cleared, Lawrence prepared himself to scold her but Yonoi beat him to it. He didn’t scold her as Lawrence planned, he straightaway slapped her in front of them.

“How dare you?!”   Annabelle snapped.

“How dare I? How dare you disobey us? You almost got us killed!”

“They had Joseph’s pendant!”

“Joseph is dead and you need to get over it!”   Yonoi shut her up.   “In fact, we are all dead! It doesn’t matter where the soul goes! You almost jeopardised our mission! You recklessly ignored everyone’s lives here and acted on your emotions! Learn to control them or else you are on your own!”

Yonoi walked past her along with everyone else. None of them were in the mood to chastise her. They were tired of everything. They wanted to rest.


	9. Moonlight

* * *

 

Finally, they were here. The relief was immense. Now everything will be alright. Lawrence will finally get some answers. It was like what they expected. It was a palace with a large garden but it was empty. They slowly walked in. Ruby held Celliers and whispered.

"Where is everyone?"

Celliers couldn't answer her. They walked through the empty halls and their footsteps echoed.

"This isn't right."   Yonoi murmured.   "This place is supposed to have officers. Where are they?"

Lawrence ran and the rest chased him. They entered the main office where the Counsel was supposed to be. His chair was empty.

"What's going on?"  Lawrence clutched his head.   "How could this happen? The Counsel is gone too! How?! Why?! Why?!"

As he screamed the rest felt the ground shaking. Celliers held Ruby and the rest tried not to fall. Yonoi realised that this was what his seniors meant. He held Lawrence.

"Lawrence! Calm down! You are causing this! Stop!"

Lawrence finally snapped and shockingly looked at Yonoi.   "What? What do you mean, I'm causing this?"

Yonoi let go off him and honestly answered.   "I don't know. We don't know anything yet. That's why we came here...to find answers but...the counsel."

"I suggest we forget about it."   Celliers tried to sway Lawrence from the topic.   "We need to move on."  But even he didn't know what to do next.  He looked at Swinton. She was looking at the heart of the phantom. She was thinking something. She moved to the chair.

"What is it?"   Celliers asked.

"I think this heart is supposed to fit somewhere."   she touched the Counsel's chair.

"Fit somewhere?"   Ruby asked. Without further words, Swinton put the heart in a similarly shaped dent and it fit. What they saw next, was surprising. The heart turned transparent and became a diamond.

"What is it?"  Annabelle whispered. The diamond shined so brightly and it pointed lights at their hearts.

"What's going on?"  Ruby panicked and all of them felt a surge of power pushing through. They all felt the sudden pain and vomited something black like tar. It was a terrible feeling. Celliers spit out and looked at Swinton who washed her mouth with the bottle of water.

"What the hell, Swinton?"

Swinton took a moment before answering.   "This material is key to every lock, even potential in us."

"How do you know that?"   Yonoi asked. Swinton didn't answer that. instead, she answered an unasked question.

"Hara is alive."

"How do you know that?"   Celliers asked but Lawrence cut him.

"Where is he?"

Swinton answered one.   "He is here."   She walked and Lawrence followed her. The rest didn't stop him and followed. Swinton led them to the trial room and Lawrence rushed ahead.

"Hara!"

He was there, lying on the divan but unconscious. Lawrence broke into tears and hugged the body. Celliers looked at Swinton suspiciously.

"Who are you?"

Swinton looked at him and it was not like before. This time, she smiled.   "That is not the right question. Your question, for now, should remain to the problem of everyone disappearing. We have a traitor among us."

"What?"   Yonoi snapped and frowned.   "The only one acting suspicious is you. You are the traitor."

"Always jumping to conclusions."   She stated and it shocked him. She never spoke that way to him.   "Time is not ripe. One answer at a time. We found Hara, now we need to wake him. Then we find the traitor."

"How do we wake him?"  Ruby asked.

"Good question. I operate on him."

...

Lawrence observed Swinton cutting the diamond into a scalpel easily. It became the perfect utensil. She put on her mask and gloves and took out anaesthetics.

"Are you sure that you want to see this?"

Lawrence nodded. He wanted to be near his friend. Celliers and Yonoi were outside the room with the girls. Yonoi and Celliers were stunned that Swinton knew so much and yet hid it. They didn't know who she was, at all.

"Should we trust her?"   Celliers asked.

"I do not know. I do not know what to believe in anymore."

"Don't say that. If mister Hara survives, it would mean that we can trust her."   Ruby said.

"If he survives."   Yonoi said.

Inside, Swinton already cut open Hara's head. Lawrence was used to blood but he never saw something like this. She used the phantom heart scalpel so perfectly.

"Look at this."   She said and pointed to his brain. Lawrence saw nothing unusual until he noticed.

"Tumour?"   He asked.

"I've never seen a tumour like this. It looks like a foetus."

"You've seen foetuses?"   He asked her.   "Who are you, really?"

"Not something you should know now. Focus on this. This tumour kept him alive but at the same time, dead. Limbo within a limbo. How did he get this tumour?"

"He never came here, like us. We found him like this."

Swinton pulled out the tumour and successfully closed the head. They cleaned him up and came out. Celliers and the rest were dozing off, it was already night. Seeing them, made Celliers jump.

"Will he be okay?"

"The tumour has been removed."   Lawrence said.   "He'll live until ascension."

He hoped.

"So...what happened? How did he come here?"   Ruby asked.

"The phantoms couldn't hurt him."   Swinton said.   "It must be because of the tumour inside his head. Now that it's been removed, he might either wake up or peacefully ascend to heaven. We must protect his body till then."

Lawrence didn't like that news. He always wanted to ascend with Hara.

"Will you answer our question now?"   Yonoi asked.

"Some of them. I can tell you that the phantoms brought Hara here, when and how, I don't know. The traitor amongst us caused everyone to vanish. The traitor let the phantoms in. Time does not work here, so anyone who died later can come at the same time who died earlier, which is why all of you came at the same time with Mr. Lawrence, who died later. Souls vanish forever when phantoms kill them, ever ceasing to exist. We do not even go to hell. A phantom heart is very powerful and not everyone knows of this and lastly..."   she looked at Lawrence.   "Your ascension is utmost important."

"My ascension? Why?"

"Unlike everyone else, this is your second time here. You are the first one."

"How? Why?"

"We don't know yet."

"And how do you know all of this?"   Annabelle asked, squinting.

Swinton didn't answer. Instead, she said.   "We wait for his recovery."

They did not like the answer but they agreed. They were tired and sleepy. Even when things were confusing, they didn’t forget to have the food Swinton cooked. They didn’t speak at all.

“I’ll take guard.”   Swinton, as usual, volunteered but this time Lawrence asked to be on guard. He just wanted to be with him for the night. Swinton agreed and went to sleep. The girls took one room while the men took another. Yonoi didn’t take a smoke break this time. His mind was too occupied. Celliers understood the man’s woe for he had equal tension. They just lied down to sleep.

But something did not sleep that night. Something was waiting for everyone to sleep and make its move. The shadows crept in the night. The moonlight expanded its size. It glided softly and smoothly to the one person. It wanted Hara. Now that the protective seal was moved, he was vulnerable.

In the shadows, it raised its sharp weapon to butcher him. However…

“PROHIBERE!”   Swinton’s voice echoed the room, waking Lawrence and the rest of the people. The figure was frozen completely and let out a piercing shriek. The words caused her to feel pain of a thousand knives all over her body. The being fell down on its knees and crouched in pain. The room brightened and everyone gathered to see the worst.

“It can't be…”   Lawrence murmured, grabbing Hara’s body securely.   “You?”

Everyone refused to believe it. It couldn’t be…

“Ruby?”  


	10. Messenger

“Ruby?”   Celliers murmured as she looked at him with utmost pity. She looked at him as tears escaped her eyes.    “So, Swinton was right all along.”

Ruby didn’t know what was going on. When was this all planned? Ruby looked at everyone.  “What is going on? What did you do?!”

“Allow me.”   Swinton volunteered.   “I used the ‘prohibere’ incantation to freeze you. You can't escape.”

“I didn’t want to believe it when she told me about you.”   Lawrence murmured.

“Told you?”   Ruby asked.   “When did she tell you?”

“During the operation, I shared some of my suspicions with Mr. Lawrence and I asked time to set my evidence before him. He, of course, shared it with his friends despite my advice. But they agreed to help to want to prove me wrong, especially Mr. Celliers.”   Swinton said.

“But how?”   She asked, disbelieving that she was defeated so easily.   “How did you know?”

“The night when Mr. Lawrence was found missing and no cadets knew until the next morning but you did.”   Celliers remembered when Swinton mentioned it. Ruby said that ‘words spread fast’. He couldn’t have guessed. Swinton continued.   “Also, you were the only one alive in the massacre. A phantom would have found you no matter where you hid. Their smelling sense is very powerful. You also took advantage of Mr. Lawrence’s absence by letting the phantoms in. You knew that there was no force on the fence that kept the phantoms out, it was Mr. Lawrence who kept them out. He had no idea, though.”

“What?”   Lawrence never knew that.   “Me? Why me?”

“Because you are the key to everyone’s ascension. Mr. Lawrence, you came here twice. Something happened during your first visit that caused you to come again. Do you remember?”

He shook his head, not recalling anything. Swinton continued.   “It’s because you saw the cause of this whole mess. You saw the leader of the phantoms. You saw her.”   She pointed at Ruby.

“What?”   Yonoi gasped while everyone was trying to gulp the information down.   “Ruby is…”

“She is the creator of the phantoms. She has been existing here before any of us. She is the one who caused it all.”

“Why?”   Celliers asked.   “Why? Why is this happening?”   Celliers couldn’t believe it. He felt like his whole life was crashing down.

Ruby was crying but she wiped the tears away.   “You are right. I am the creator of the phantoms. You are indeed, a very clever cadet. Why don’t you also share who you are?”

They looked at Swinton waiting to hear an explanation from her. But she said nothing of herself. She asked about Hara.

“You tried to kill Hara, just now. Why?”

And their focus shifted to Ruby.   “Easy.”   She said.   “Hara was keeping me from killing him the second time. But now that you removed the seal from his brain, I can kill him and Lawrence.”

“So…all of these…was about killing me?”   Lawrence asked.   “Why? What about me caused this mess?”

“Ruby…Ruby…”   Celliers was still in his daze. Annabelle and Yonoi were the only one taking this seriously.

“It could have been anyone.”   Swinton said.   “But you got to see her which caused you to come here for the second time but this time you couldn’t be killed because of Hara. Hara was chosen as your protector. Why or how, I do not know.”

“Enough with the explanation! Release me!”   Ruby screamed. Celliers looked at her in anguish.

“Was everything a lie then?”

Ruby turned to him and answered almost painfully.   “Yes. You were nothing but a pawn to the games. My target was always Lawrence’s death. Killing him is my only way to spread my power in this limbo and every soul becoming my source of power.”

Swinton handed the phantom heart utensil to Lawrence.   “As the key to everyone’s ascension, you should be the one to kill her. Once you do, everything will set on its own path.”

Lawrence widely looked at her and then turned to Celliers. Celliers’s expression caused the feeling of guilt and regret in his heart. He turned to Swinton and asked.   “Release her.”

They were all shocked.   “But she will harm Hara and you.”   Swinton reasoned. But Lawrence’s request remained the same. Swinton nodded and looked at Ruby.   “Te Libero.”

Ruby felt the pain going away but she didn’t attack them. She remained on the ground. Lawrence asked everyone to leave. They all complied and Lawrence went to Celliers. He patted him with an assuring look and left the room with the rest. Celliers was quiet for a moment. He knelt on the ground and closed on her. His gaze was intense on her. Everything he knew and believed had been muddled.

“Don’t look at me like that.”   Ruby whispered.   “It’s my nature. I can't help it.”

“To lie and deceive.”   He added.

“I’m the phantom mother. This is what I do. I confuse, I lie and I kill.”   She said softly.   “All for power.”

“But you didn’t kill me.”   He pointed out and she couldn’t argue. She couldn’t reason for her reason not to kill him. She could have. Tears came out again and she forcefully added.

“Finish me and end this. I am not in control of my actions and killing me is the only way.”

Celliers sobbed down.  “What caused this?”

“Just do it and you will know.”   Ruby held his face up to her warmly.   “I know you have the knife. You should be the one to do it.”

Celliers pulled her into a hug and cried on her shoulder.   “I love you! I love you so much!”

Ruby remained silent and hugged him back. She waited for the pain in her abdomen that pierced. She gasped and held him closely and intimately.   “Don’t let go!”   She inhaled painfully.   “Don’t…let go.”

Celliers shut his eyes as he saw everything. Her past life. Her normal life with her mother and father.

The church fell on them and crushed them altogether.

She came into this limbo instead of passing on to the other life however, she was alone. She had no one with her. She was the first being into this land of nothing. Time had no place here…

His eyes glistened as he saw she succumbed to loneliness and became darkness. Her bitter hatred towards god turned to something worse. It turned her into a phantom. Her hatred became the very darkness of this limbo. But why? Why did she come here? Why did god bring her here?

Because she was lost in life and now in death. She lived and died with regrets. She never believed and her lack of faith brought her to the questioning land to answer all of her questions. Was there an afterlife? Was there a god? If there was, why didn’t he stop the suffering? All these questions of an unbeliever brought her to this state.

But she was not the only unbeliever, so why was she here? She was here because she sought these answers from the devil himself, during her lifetime. She wanted to know and her desperation caused the limbo to appear for all the other souls.

The dark being offered her knowledge in exchange of the truth, the truth she experienced after the concrete fell on them. The price was heavy.

Celliers breathed unevenly, knowing the truth of her existence.

Even when she lied about everything, she spoke one truth, she did love him. She was angry at god and the devil for putting her in this situation and she waited for someone to release her and Celliers fulfilled that wish. He pulled away and kissed her neck, feeling the pulse disappear. He heard her whisper.   “Thank you…for releasing me.”

He felt her body disappearing with her life. It left nothing but the last breath onto his arms. Celliers kept hold of nothing and didn’t want to let go. He brought his arms to his chest and cried on.

Outside, the phantoms gathered around the garden as the soldiers tensed. However, the phantoms suddenly looked up and howled as if crying for their mother’s demise. The darkness of their fur vanished into the sky and turned pure white. The transformation was beautiful. Yonoi was awed.

“Beautiful…”   He whispered as he heard all the souls that have been killed here ascend to paradise.   “So this is what happened to the souls. They never vanished…they darkened the phantoms.”

“Celliers…”   Lawrence murmured.   “He did it…”    Lawrence recalled giving him the knife before leaving the room without anyone seeing. He felt that it was his right only to do it.

“She allowed him.”   Swinton said.   “Even when she sought power, she desperately wanted release from this tragic state.”

“So…all she did was out of pure revenge?”   Annabelle asked and then she realised. Annabelle did the same thing. She brought in trouble because of her anger of losing Joseph. Now she could relate to Ruby.

The white phantoms stopped howling and looked at the soldiers. They turned back and returned to the forests. Annabelle asked.   “Now what?”

“Hara…”   Lawrence returned to the room and saw Celliers sitting near Hara. He looked at them and smiled.   “He is breathing. He is alive.”

Yonoi didn’t stand there. He fell towards Celliers and pulled him into a hug, something he never did before.   “Cry all you want. We will not say anything.”

Celliers hugged him back, feeling the comfort of the other man. Lawrence joined them. The ladies remained outside looking at the night sky.

Annabelle looked at Swinton and asked.   “Who are you, really?”

Swinton smiled and answered.   “I’m just a messenger.”


	11. Paradise

It was an odd moment for all. They met with an undecided fate. What would they do now? Where would they go? Wasn’t it supposed to end with Ruby? Why haven’t they ascended yet?

Morning came and passed till night visited again. Hara was still unconscious and they were losing their patience. Lawrence observed Swinton putting the foetus is a glass jar and putting it in a bag. There was so much he didn’t know about her that roused his suspicion despite her contribution to the truth.

The while wolves, once dark phantoms, often surrounded the building and howled. Then they would return to their habitats. The men didn’t know what it meant. They were sure that Swinton did but she never shared. Annabelle put the food to Yonoi and Celliers. Celliers was quiet but not mourning anymore. He looked better. Yonoi offered a cigarette to him which he gladly took and they went outside to enjoy smoking. Annabelle served Lawrence who was deep in thought beside Hara.

“Mr. Lawrence, you must eat.”   She said, softly, for the first time but Lawrence was oblivious. Annabelle left his side and brought food to Swinton who thanked her and received the food.

“Will he ever wake up?”  He asked.

“He will.”  Swinton assured him. Lawrence’s eyes glistened as he pressed it to avoid crying. He sniffed and said.

“I never told you girls about him, did I?”  He suddenly smiled at them. The girls shook their head.   “He was a troubled man. He never backed out whenever he had to beat someone for disobedience but he was soft as a puppy inside.”   He laughed and sighed.   “What happened to this man?”   He asked himself rather her. He dreaded this feeling of loneliness and emptiness. He just wanted him to wake up.

He did not realise when he fell asleep but once he woke, he found everyone else already sleeping around him. Hara was nowhere to be found.

“Hara!”   He jumped up and shook the others.   “Yonoi! Celliers! Hara is awake! He isn’t here! Celliers!”   He stepped back because they didn’t wake up. They weren’t responding at all. He looked at the girls too. They were sleeping as if dead.

“HARA!”   He ran outside the office and into the garden where he met the white wolves. The wolves were looking at the man. Hairless and in the uniform he always remembered back on Earth.

“Hara?”   He squinted and stepped forward. Hara turned and smiled.

“Mister Lawrence.”   His accent was bad as ever. It was the same as he heard him the last time he saw him in prison. The crooked teeth and his wide eyes were hideous but it had life. His bald head shined which made Lawrence laugh and pull the man to a hug.

“Hara! Oh, god you have returned!”   Lawrence cried and laughed at the same time.   “But how?”

Hara did not answer the question.   “Follow me, Mister Lawrence.”

“Where?”   Lawrence asked and followed Hara into the forest and the wolves followed them. He led Lawrence quite deep into the forest.   “Hara, where are you taking me? And why are these wolves following us?”

Hara suddenly stopped and Lawrence noticed where they were. They were in the woodland glade where the moonlight fell directly. Lawrence murmured.   “Hara?”

“Do you remember the night when you came to visit me as my last moment, Mister Lawrence?”

“I…I do.”   Lawrence had an awful feeling. He felt that this was similar to that last moment.   “Hara?”

And his fears manifested. Hara lost footing and Lawrence held him from falling, shouting.   “Hara, what’s wrong?!”

“Mister Lawrence…it is time.”   He whispered and grinned weakly.

“No, no. It’s not. You are not leaving without me.”   Lawrence argued and held him close.   “You are not leaving!”

“Mister Lawrence.”   Hara laughed weakly.   “You were always questioning everything, now you have the answer. Why you deny to see it?”

“W-what? What are you talking about?”   Lawrence didn’t understand.   “Never mind that. Just stay a little longer. We will pass together.”

“I cannot, Mister Lawrence. My time is up. The phantom mother is dead. Everything is good now. One by one, we will all pass.”

“No! Hara, don’t leave me!”   Lawrence cried.   “Please don’t…”

“You will see me again. I promise.”   And his eyes shut slowly with a smile with the last whisper.   “Merry Christmas…Mister Lawrence.”

And his body vanished from his arms into the sky. The wolves raised their heads and cried for the lost soul. Lawrence cried loudly and buried himself.

“Lawrence!”   He heard Celliers’ voice and felt a pair of hands shaking him.

“Lawrence!”

Lawrence blinked his eyes open and saw himself back in the building. Yonoi, Celliers and the girls were staring at him. He didn’t understand how he got back to the room.   “What happened?”   He asked.

“Hara, we cannot find him. He is gone.”   Yonoi muttered and glared at Swinton.   “You said that he would live!”

Swinton opened her mouth to answer but Lawrence stopped her.   “It’s okay, Yonoi. Hara is fine.”

“What?”

He understood now. It was a dream but a good dream. He passed away in his sleep but managed to leave the last message. Tears trickled down his cheeks and he smiled.   “He ascended to paradise.”


	12. Freedom

Lawrence felt at ease. He never felt so free. He gladly helped the guys pack their bags even though their destination was undecided. However, Lawrence did not bother. He just wanted to smile. Celliers shared the feeling. Yonoi had no choice but to join in the happiness. They didn’t even bother with the answers they wanted before because soon, their ascension will come.

Annabelle, however, felt otherwise. Her questions needed to be answered. Who was Swinton? Who sent her? Was she even one of them?

They headed out with Lawrence and Celliers singing. It was the same Christmas song the men sang at the time of Celliers’ execution. Night came and they camped and this time, the men cooked for everyone. They were chatting nonchalantly. They had nothing to worry about, no phantoms. The white wolves still cried and returned to their dens.

Yonoi asked.   “Why do they cry every night?”

“They cry for each soul they devoured. It is their way of compensating.”   Swinton said and ate her food.

“I never knew, animals felt that way.”   Yonoi smiled. It was a rare sight.

“Where do we go?”   Celliers asked.   “How about the deepest corners of this place? We might find some beautiful waterfalls or beaches and swim there.”

“That is a good idea.”   Lawrence agreed.   “The weather is warm too.”

“I do not mind.”  Yonoi nodded.

Annabelle couldn’t share the same enthusiasm. She had much in her mind.   “Are you all going to ignore the point that Swinton hasn’t answered single one of our questions?”

The four looked at her. She shook angrily and glared at them.   “How can you all just forget that we lost everyone?!”

“We lost no one. They all ascended.”   Swinton calmly answered.

“How do we know? How can we know that you aren’t lying?!”

“Annabelle…”   Lawrence tried reasoning but she kicked her food and stomped away. Lawrence was about to chase her but Yonoi stopped him.

“Let her ease on her own.”   He knew better than anyone that solitary moments were the best cure for anger.

Celliers sighed and fell on his back. He looked at the stars and counted them in his mind.   “It’s the same as back on earth.”

“Of course, it is the same sky.”   Swinton answered him.

“I never knew.”   Celliers murmured and started dozing off. He was too tired. Yonoi saw him falling asleep and he put a blanket on him.

“Good night, Celliers.”   Yonoi lied beside him and slept. Lawrence looked at Swinton.

“Shouldn’t we get Annabelle back?”

“I will not stop you if you want to chase her.”   Swinton’s words seemed like an advice that he should go after her. So he did. He walked into the forest while the wolves watched him. Their gazes did not scare him anymore. They seemed like gazes of protective guardians. Maybe that’s what they were now.

“Annabelle?”

She was crying alone, calling her brother’s name. He sighed and touched her shoulder but she sprung and threw herself at him. Lawrence was shocked to see her suddenly hugging him, seeking his comfort.

“Annabelle?”

“I hate this!”  she cried.  “I want to go home! I want to live but not here! I don’t want to die either! I want to see Joseph! I’m…”   she was conflicted.

Lawrence was hesitant. He was never this close to women except one. The Singaporean lady who aided him. He lightly pushed her and comforted her with his words instead.   “Things will be okay. Just…bear a little longer.”

Annabelle stood away and wiped her tears.   “Sorry…I got carried away.”

Lawrence assured that it was fine. He took her back to the camp and found Swinton sleeping. He never saw her sleeping before. She slept like any of them. So she was a human. Annabelle slept beside Swinton and Lawrence took guard this time, not because he feared for their safety but because he wanted to see the night fade.

But he couldn’t help his eyes. By the time they opened he found himself in a new land with new people. He stood up and looked around. There were dead bodies around him and Confederate flags. He looked up and saw men in red uniform coming towards him on their horses and shooting bullets at people behind him. The men who were shot wore blue.

“Where am I?”

And there he saw a man charging the men in red and killing them instantly. He looked exactly like him.

“What is this?”

“That was you…”   Lawrence turned and saw Swinton.

“Me?”

“Your first life.”

Lawrence looked again. He saw his past one killed efficiently. His strikes were powerful.  “So, I was fighting the English. How did I die?”

The scene changed and this time Lawrence was in a barrack, tied to the wall. The man in red snickered seeing him in this pitiful state. His past-self looked up and smirked instead. He didn’t fear death. But the English man was furious. He struck the man in the chest and killed him instantly.

“Oh…”  No wonder his chest hurt so much.

“Time is up.”   He looked at Swinton but she snapped her fingers and Lawrence woke up. He sat up and found morning. He gaped at Swinton who was sleeping, wondering what he saw was the real thing. She appeared in his dream. But then he smiled. He didn’t mind her appearing in his dreams.


	13. Rest in peace

“Look!”  Celliers shouted, pointing at the waterfall. He threw his bags and undressed and threw himself in the water. His head appeared above and shouted at Yonoi.   “Yonoi, join me! It’s so cool in here!”

But Yonoi refused. He would not disgrace himself in front of two ladies. However, Celliers returned to land and dragged the other one, getting him wet. Yonoi fought him but ended up in the water anyway. Yonoi stood in knee length water, with his hair covering half his face. Celliers tried looking at his face but Yonoi spit on Celliers’ face.

Lawrence laughed out. He wanted to join too but decided not to. His body was not as fit as Celliers’ and Yonoi’s. He noticed Swinton soaking her feet while Annabelle standing away from them. Lawrence stood beside Annabelle.

“Why don’t you join them?”

She didn’t answer. Perhaps, she was shy or mad. He sighed and went to Swinton instead. She was a better company. He asked her.   “Will I see more?”

“Yes.”   Swinton swiftly replied.

“What then? Will I ascend?”

“That, I cannot answer. You will only ascend when time comes.”

When time comes…To Lawrence it seemed like a ticking time bomb. He observed the two fighting and enjoying the water. He always wanted to pass on with Hara but he forgot that he had two more with him. He wouldn’t mind passing with them. He loved them too.

“I, sort of envy you.”   Swinton said.

“Envy me? Why?”

“You have some good friends. I always envied that about you.”

Lawrence was surprised that Swinton thought of him like that. It was never obvious.

“Who are you, Swinton?”

Swinton turned to him and smiled.  “I was a surgeon in Poland.”

Lawrence chuckled, realising that she would never tell him the truth. Perhaps, it was better not knowing the truth. The truth brought nothing but misery. But he would like to guess though. Who was she?

Annabelle suddenly heard a growl and turned. The wolves were watching them from the woods. The rest noticed too and stopped. One of them stepped forward Annabelle scaring her. She tried to get away but Swinton warned her.

“Don’t move. They won’t harm you.”

Annabelle remained still and waited till the wolf stopped near her. Celliers and Yonoi watched as the wolf jerked his head and something glittered around its neck. Annabelle gasped because she noticed what it was. She took it out of the wolf’s neck. It was the pendant. It was her brother’s pendant.

“Joseph…”

The wolf walked back to its pack and vanished into the woods. Annabelle couldn’t control herself and cried. Lawrence looked at Swinton whose eyes were on Annabelle. Yonoi and Celliers sighed. They came out of the water and dried up.

“It’s time to go.”   Celliers patted Annabelle’s head and walked ahead. The rest followed except Annabelle. She remained on her spot, crying over the pendant.

“Annabelle?”   Yonoi turned and gasped to see her body fading. She wasn’t crying only. She was smiling too.   “Annabelle!”   he shouted and the rest turned. Annabelle finally laughed and her body glowed.

“What’s happening?”   Celliers asked.

“It’s her time…”   Swinton said.

“So soon?”

She nodded and saw Annabelle looking up at the sky as if seeing a hand held out to her. She raised her hand at the sky and shouted.   “I’ll be with you! Just wait few seconds more! I’ll be there!”

“Annabelle…”   Celliers realised how peaceful she looked. If this was what ascension looked like, then he was looking forward to it. Annabelle’s body slowly disappeared leaving them a final smile. The pendant fell on the grass but broke apart and faded in the air. Lawrence, Yonoi and Celliers were stunned to witness the passing.

“Rest in peace.”   Swinton’s voice was soft and happy. The men looked at each other wondering how their passing will be.


	14. This is it

The men were on their toes. Celliers feared that he would ascend alone in his sleep and he didn’t want that. He wanted to pass together with Yonoi. Yonoi, on the other hand, did not know how he wanted to ascend. He had no preference. Lawrence made his bed and lied down hoping to see more of his past life. Swinton went into the forest without telling them any reason. She said that she will return soon. So the three men were alone under the night sky.

“Celliers, Yonoi are you two awake?”   he asked and the two responded.   “Have you any guess who Swinton is?”

“Well, I initially thought that she was the counsel.”   Celliers said.

“I thought so too.”   Yonoi agreed.   “The way she behaved and shared information, it made me believe that she was the counsel undercover. Now, I do not know what to think.”

“You know what I think?”   Lawrence said.   “I think she is the god.”

Celliers and Yonoi glanced at each other and ended up laughing. Lawrence couldn’t help himself too. The idea of Swinton being the god was funny. The laughter died down and Celliers mumbled.   “If she is god then I am the monkey’s uncle.”

“Imagine us passing.”   Yonoi said.   “Beautiful as the birds. I envy Annabelle.”

“I envy Hara.”   Lawrence confessed.   “But I am not sad anymore. I am happy that he passed on.”

“So…when will we pass?”   Celliers asked. The thought was daunting. The wait was painful. They felt lost. Their friends passed on without them. They felt alone. Their eyes closed.

Lawrence opened his eyes and found himself at the base. He looked around and saw people he never saw before…or he did, he just didn’t remember.

“Is this another dream?”

“Yes.”

He turned and saw Swinton. She pointed behind him and he followed. He saw himself, new and fresh in his blue uniform. He was new to the base.

“That’s my first time at the base?”   he asked.   “That’s not how I came here.”

“That’s your previous life’s limbo state. The very first time.”   she cleared.

The surrounding changed to the dining room where his previous self-was making friends at the base. He was happy and eager. Lawrence asked.   “What happened?”

“This happened.”

He found himself at the front gate where the infantry was sent outside the fence to gather resources. They had arms and young men to fight the phantoms but on their third night, most of them perished. Something did not go right that night.

The phantom mother, herself came to suck their lives.

“Ruby?”

Lawrence saw as his previous self-was fighting his best to survive. The phantom mother noticed and lunged at him but he fought her. He was strong enough to fight the phantom mother but not kill her. He ran crazily for days and nights and returned to the base, sharing what he had just found. But no one believed him. His erratic behaviour rendered him crazy.

“Why didn’t they believe me?”   he asked Swinton.

“Because the theory that a mother existed was new to them and how would a normal soldier survive the mother herself? Soldiers can barely survive fighting the phantoms.”

Lawrence continued watching as his past limbo-self became crazier and crazier trying to find about the mother. He tried going over the fence but the guards captured him every time. they finally had it and locked him up.

Everything after that became dark.

“What? That’s it? What happened?”   he asked Swinton who looked sad.   “Swinton? What happened to me?”

“You…You killed yourself in captivity.”

Lawrence gasped awake.

He sat up and saw the other two sleeping peacefully. Swinton was nowhere to be found. He pushed the other two awake.

“Where is Swinton?”

“Swinton?”   Celliers rubbed his eyes.   “I don’t know, maybe she is taking a bath or something.”

“I’ve never seen her bathing.”   Lawrence said.   “Something does not seem right.”

The other two were on their feet. Yonoi packed everything but Lawrence asked him to leave it.   “We won’t be needing them anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

And their attention switched to the glowing sky behind the forest.  “Look…”

The sky brightened. Celliers took a step forward.   “What is that?”

“I do not know.”   Yonoi murmured.   “But I feel…like it is calling me.”

Lawrence started walking into the forest and the two followed. They noticed the wolves watching them. Their gazes said something. Was this it? This was it.

They crossed the trees and found themselves in the forest glade where the grass shined the most. The wolves came up behind them and sat on the ground. Swinton was alone, looking up at the sky.

“Swinton?”   Celliers stepped ahead.   “What are you doing here? What’s going on?”

She looked at them. The look said too much. The anticipation beat their insides. They couldn’t believe it. Was this it? Has fate granted their ascension together?

“This is it.”


	15. A new fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have finally thought of the ending. I am terribly sorry for making the One reader wait who stuck with me for so long. Thank you for everything.

The wind blew beneath their ears, as their hearts beat fast. Celliers was the first one to snap out and exhaled.   “I can't believe it.”   He turned to Swinton.   “This…can't be it.”

Swinton turned to him with conviction. Her gaze pierced through his soul. It made him nervous.   “Are you having second thoughts?”

He couldn’t deny. He always wanted to ascend but something about now, made him feel otherwise. He fought in this limbo world for a long time. He wasn’t sure whether he was ready to leave. He finally understood how Yonoi felt.

“Fret not, Celliers.”   She said.   “It will be the most peaceful passing.”

Yonoi held Celliers’ shoulders and gave it a squeeze.   “We are ready."

Celliers nodded and turned to Lawrence who was lost in his thoughts. The thought of reuniting with Hara made him nostalgic. Perhaps he could reunite with his friends of his past life. A smile escaped his lips as he turned to the other two.

"I have to admit that I am not ready to leave yet but I can no longer wait."

"Then let us begin."    Swinton looked up at the light. She closed her eyes and felt the soothing warmth on her skin. The three saw the light blanketing them and they levitated. They quickly held each others' hands so they can pass together.

"This is it!"   Celliers shouted with a smile, looking up, anticipating to see God himself.

Yonoi laughed, finally feeling free from his burdens. Lawrence almost cried.

However, a burst of darkness negated the light and caused all four of them to fall. Celliers got back up and asked.    "What just happened?!"

Swinton showed fear for the first time as a cloaked figure appeared. The light vanished and the darkness took over. Swinton cried out.    "NO!"

The dark figure waved his invisible hand and threw Swinton away. She hit the ground harshly, making her bleed. The men rushed to her but heard the being whisper.

"Your souls will belong to me."

It shook them to the core. The voice gave them a feeling of voidness in their hearts. Celliers held Swinton's head on his lap, wiping the blood off her lips.    "Swinton...Swinton, are you okay?"

Swinton gulped painfully and whispered.    "T-this is the darkness Ruby faced...which caused her to create this limbo. H-he wants you all."

"Why? Why us?"   Yonoi asked.

Swinton didn't have to answer. Lawrence figured out already. He left her side and looked at the dark being.    "You can never have us! You can never ascend to the heaven! You can not make all god made heaven to be your personal kingdom!"

"What is he talking about?"   Celliers thought Lawrence had gone mad but Swinton shook her head.

"N-no. T-this darkness...has existed from the beginning...waiting for souls to come to him and give into him. R-Ruby was a victim to his charms and...he created this limbo with her pain. He...he is waiting for the perfect souls to be his disciples so he can take over heaven...and make it his own. T-this being is worse than the Devil himself."

"The Devil is nothing but the pawn of the almighty God."   The being echoed as he looked down at the three.    "Even he is subjected to his commands. I, on the other hand, answer to no one. I am a free willed being. I am the free will itself, corrupting all human beings."

"He...he will do anything from keeping you three from ascending to heaven."   Swinton coughed out blood.

Lawrence turned to the two and muttered.   "He can not have us. We will not give in. Swinton...do what you must...to defeat this monster."

"What's he talking about?"    Celliers asked Yonoi who had no idea himself.

Swinton shockingly looked at Lawrence but it subsided. She merely asked.    "Are you ready for it again?"

Lawrence was not. He pursed his lips not liking the idea of waiting. He nodded anyway.    "This time, I will make my own destiny."

"Lawrence, what are you talking about?"   Yonoi asked.

"To...to defeat the monster once and for all...for the limbo to cease to exist once and for all...to make your destiny once again...you three must be reborn."

"What?"   Celliers shook up.    "But....Lawrence already..."

"I know..."   she gulped.    "And...I must erase my existence to do it."

"Why?!"    Yonoi refused to believe it.   "Why won't the gods help you?!"

"Because...he does not meddle with free will."

"T-this is not fair."   Celliers almost broke down.    "To do this, you have to die? This is unbelievable!"

"This is...the only way..."   Swinton's eyes were dropping off. The cloaked figure laughed out, mocking her sense of logic.

"Stupid woman. All she did in her life was listen to the so called god and looked after this lifeless place, waiting for the heroes to come so she could guide them. But in the end, she has to lose her life to serve the god she never saw. Pathetic!"

Lawrence hated this. He rushed to Swinton and woke her from dying. He took her face and nodded.    "Do it."

"Lawrence!"   Celliers exclaimed.    "How can you ask her to die?!"

"And how do you know of this?!"    Yonoi asked.

"Because I died twice to know how it feels! But this is the only way to erase the limbo once and for all! This is for all the future souls who are to ascend!"

Yonoi refused to accept it. The man who always saw logic before merits was not unable to accept this. Celliers tried not to cry. He gritted stubbornly and held Swinton's hand warmly. Swinton smiled.

"I don't mind. It is my job as the Counsel of the Limbo. I must do what I should."

"Are you really willing to return to earth just to erase the limbo?"   The being spoke.    "Think about it. As my disciples, you can have the heaven all to yourself, as your own garden of Eden. You will ascend to heaven anyway, just under my command. I will become your new god. It is not so bad."

This was the reason why he was not stopping them. As the being of free will himself, he wasn't allowed to meddle with their choice. All he could do was given them an option and let them choose. The three realised this and contemplated the possibilities. Celliers looked at the empty figure and spat.   

"We'd rather be reborn to die again and ascend to heaven on our own terms than be your slave! Swinton..."     Celliers nodded.

Swinton looked at Yonoi who shut his eyes, not wanting to do this. The being chuckled and taunted again.    "Yonoi, as a man of honour and valour, will you let this woman die just for the sake of God? Has he done any good for you? You were left to die under the noose because you followed your code of honour."

Yonoi found it hard to refute. His eyes fell on Celliers as a realisation hit him. He caused his friend to die under the heated sands and yet here he was, as a friend and a brother. How could he let him down now? He can't be that cruel. He glared at the being.

"Swinton...I am ready."

Swinton sighed and smiled. The light appeared again and this time from her body and soul. The being realised what was happening but he was unable to stop it because meddling with human free-will was beyond his power. His figure was vanishing along with his voice.

"I am disappointed..."

The light surrounded the darkness and everything vanished.

* * *

 

The man turned the leaflet upside down and back up, failing to understand the language. He often bumped into people who apologised to him in the foreign language and he tried his best to respond politely.

"I should have just hired a translator."    The man murmured in an English accent and took a seat in one of the airport cafes. A woman came to him and asked in thick English what he would like to have, seemingly charmed by his chiselled cheeks and gold locks.

"Just a tea, thank you."

The woman smiled and left and he was left on his own, often checking the time when his tour guide would be here. His flight landed was rather early than expected. A lot of people were visiting Japan at this time due to the lovely weather and the coming new year of 1960. He couldn’t help himself but take this trip too, however, his reason was not mere wanderlust. He tried to busy himself with the given time until a man interrupted.

"Hello?"   A chubby man, actually.    

"Hello."   The man was startled for a moment, feeling a little strange about this encounter. The man looked eerily familiar, however, friendly. He wondered why the other one had approached him.

"I couldn't help but notice the Sakamoto tag on your briefcase. Is he supposed to be your tour guide too?"    He spoke rather thickly but not like the Japanese people.

The man was very pleased having found a companion who shared his confusion. He smiled.    "Are you one of the visitors too?"

The other one laughed and nodded.    "Yes. Mind if I share the seat with you?"

"Please."   He allowed Tom to sit and introduced himself.   "I'm David Jones." 

“Tom Conti. Nice to meet you at this lovely place. Is this your first time visiting Japan too?”

"Yes.”    David weakly laughed, slightly easing at his presence which struck him for a moment.     “In fact, I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time.”

“Same here.”   Tom smiled to himself as if he remembered something.    “I’ve always thought that Japan was calling out to me. It is as if…I know this place for a long time."

David noted when Tom said that he found the country calling out to him. For years he felt the same until he managed to find the time and fly out. He asked.    "Calling to you? Do you mean...dreams?"

Tom nervously smiled seeing that David guessed correctly. He nodded.    "You find it strange, don’t you?"

"No, not at all. In fact…I am here for the same reason. I have always had dreams of this land and…certain people whose faces are so…"

"Blurred?”    Tom finished shocking David. Moments passed between them staring at each other trying to comprehend as to what they shared. However, their solitary moment was interrupted by a Japanese man. He was a good looking fellow and impeccably dressed. He bowed and introduced himself thickly.

"I am Sakamoto Ryuichi. You two must be David Jones and Tom Conti?"

The men gaped at him for a second, feeling a sudden rush of familiarity. They looked at each other, mentally telling each other that they felt something. Both of them quickly snapped and smiled.   

"Yes, we were waiting. Please, enjoy some tea with us before we leave the airport."

Ryuichi eased with the foreign men and took a seat with them.   "I am sorry for being late. I should have known about the time of your flight's early landing."

Tom and David somehow expected an apology from the man.    "Of course, it's fine. Please, take care of us both."

"I have called a private taxi for you two to use whenever you wish. The company has personally picked out an English driver so you two could converse at ease."    He proudly said.

“Thank you.”    The men nodded, deciding to brush the feeling off. The men proceeded to enjoy their drinks when Ryuichi asked their reason to visit and for some odd reason, the two decided to share their intentions.

“This…this is the first time I have heard of tourists feeling a country calling out to them. In fact, it is too…”

“Familiar?”    David and Tom finished at the same time, surprising all three of them. However, the surprise subsided with a similar peaceful glance before leaving the table.

Ryuichi led them to the taxi and met the lady driver, a woman tall and gauntly, dressed similarly as Ryuichi. The three stopped for a while, stunned seeing the woman. No, her gender did not strike them for they knew that their driver was a woman. It was the sense of comfort that they felt from her. Ryuichi was the first one to ask.

“Have we met before?”

She shook her head.    “Today is my first day. I am Katherine Matilda Swinton, but call me Tilda. I will be your chauffer for the entire trip.”

The men took a minute to calm down and finally smiled at the lady. David was the first one to approach her and held out his hand.     “David Jones, from England. I hope we get along.”

She took it without hesitation and shook hands with Tom too, saying.   “I have a feeling that we all will.”       With a smile, she gestured the guests and the host to enter her cab and with a smile she started the journey.

From there, a new life and a new story began of four fighters.


End file.
